Into the Fire for Love
by Vixen1
Summary: PLEASE READ & REVIEW! A mysterious woman sets out on a quest. Her path crosses with that of the Fellowship, and danger of death, romance and adventure ensue. Not a Mary-Sue. LegolasOC COMPLETE! FINISHED! DONE! SO COME READ & REVIEW!
1. Invasion of the Mists

Over the Mountains, Into the Fire

~~~Hey! I'm taking a new step in fanfiction and writing a LotR fic. I've written before, but never one such as this. This is not a Mary –Sue. I don't think. If you've read my works before, you'll know they're ALL very original. All the same, Reviews would be an excellent means of moral support…

                                                Rix13rix@aol.com 

~Rated: R (to be on the safer side) adult situations, violence, and possible innuendo

~I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DISCLAIMERS

~~~There is a rather long lead-in I'm afraid I got carried away… dear me. NM. Here's the fic, read on and enjoy! ~~~

Chapter One: Invasion of Mists

            *The cold gray morning dawned upon the forest. The woods were entangled in an unholy mist that wove its way through the numerous lush trees and other vegetation. No birds sang, no crickets chirped. This forest was not one of the three major ones known to man, no. It was a forest long since lost and dead from all memory of humans and dwarves, the Forest of Haze. Only the elves still told tales of such a place, and though they had once been based upon truth, the truth had been lost through the ages to the embellishment of fanciful fairytales. 

            Such fairytales were composed of stories of a dying city of elves. The elves that had once been rumored to have lived in the woods had become mere legends, myths that children imagined and oral traditionalists described in vague detail. Still, with all of the fictional tales that circulated, the elves of the forest itself had no knowledge that they had dropped out of being with the rest of Middle-Earth. 

            Every morning, from dawn until dusk was the same for each and every elf that resided in the lost forest. They woke with the crisp dawn. They worked through the mid-day, never stopping for a meal until after the sun had dropped off the cliff of the endless expanse of the horizon. After a meager supper, the elves would put out their tiny fires, wish each other a good night, and sleep through the darkness of the night until they had to rise the next morning. It was a lifestyle of pitiful existence. A race and city on the verge of complete isolation, destruction, and downfall. They scavenged for their food, never having the time to truly rediscover their culture of arts, crafts, and musics. And still the people remained blissfully ignorant of their suffering, having never remembering a time when they had not lived the same. 

            And it was upon this scene day after day that the King of the Forest of Haze smirked and relaxed. He was a well-defined man, definitely an intimidating figure when he wished to be so. Silky black hair fell over his eyes. Bright green eyes that always hinted annoyance or anger, and his build was strong for that of an elf. He had never been fluid or graceful, but when needed, his strength could make up for that flaw. 

            As he strode through the halls of his magnificent palace, he admired the finery that he had. He always did. It made him feel important. But now he did not think of all tat he owned. His mind had traveled to the business errand he was running. Yes, an actual business errand. He chuckled at the thought. He had to do everything in this forsaken city, what with all of the incompetent fools that tried to help and usually screwed up. Entering the darkened room, he hissed. 

He hated the dark. All elves hated the dark, of course. He just happened to be more sensitive than most. It was a family trait, he assumed. His dear, sweet, and innocent twin sister had much the same affliction. His smirk returned at that thought. Moving to the iron barred door, he peeked through. A beautiful woman sat perched on a thin bed. Long golden hair spun in waves down her shoulders to her waist. Bright blue eyes with tiny golden flecks animated her ghostly pale face, and a thin and tiny frame suggested lack of proper nutrition. Still, defiance burned in her eyes.

"Come now, sweet sister. Why scowl at me, your dear twin brother?" He sneered.

"Nero." A flat and even voice echoed through the empty dungeon. 

"It can't be quite so bad in there. And besides, I could never really let you out, you do understand, do you not?"

"You can't can you?" The woman in the cell played along. She knew this game well- it seemed she had gone through this routinely.

"Of course not!" Nero looked horrified. "If I did, imagine my people's shock to find out that their long lost Queen, my dearly loved twin sister had returned. They would not be able to handle the truth I fear." Nero explained as if he spoke to a babe who would not understand the full implications of the situation.

"Dear twin brother. What they would not be able to handle would be the knowledge that you are holding them down, oppressing them. There is more out in this world than our forest of haze and mist. You and I know that. Why not share that with them?"

"Outsiders are not welcome in the city. But then, you knew that already, didn't you, Serein."

"What I know is that you are injuring our already damaged home farther. We are the oldest and wisest elves in the entire forest. Why not work to together, use our knowledge to rebuild what the evilness of Sauron and his orcs destroyed?"

"Because then I would not have has much fun as I do now, tormenting you." 

"Nero! You bring shame to our forest, our regime, our lifestyle, and our race!" 

"Hold your tongue before I have one of my guards cut it from your mouth. Traitorous little wench. You conspired against me before, and I had to throw you into prison. I will not make the same mistake twice… nor will I tolerate your mouth." Nero, in a loud rage, turned on his heel. How dare that brat of his sister speak to him with such insubordination! Well. He would break her eventually. Apparently nearly three thousand years in that prison cell had done her no good. Just then an elf, one of his incompetent servants, ran up to him.

"Yes?" He snapped. His sister had put him in a horrible mood.

"My Lord Nero, I bring news from the master huntsman. It seems there were sightings of strange creatures never seen in the forest."

"Do I can of strange creatures in the forest? It is a forest, probably nothing more than shadows haunt it." Nero laughed heartily.

"Sir, the master huntsman is convinced what he saw was one of legendary orcs." The messenger elf gulped quietly after he relayed his message. Just the mere mention of the creatures was enough to through any elves into a slight panic. Orcs were the epitome of evil in the elfish mind; and if the orcs had returned to the Forest of Haze, it could mean nothing well for their city. Or their future. 

"Orcs?" Nero spoke more thoughtfully this time. A side smile appeared and the messenger elf knew no good would come from the next words spoken. "Orcs. And how would our master huntsman know what an orc looks like? He was not around for the first invasion of Sauron. Only my lost sister and I were alive for that. Therefore, return the message to the huntsman that he is indeed mad in the head. Now leave. You try my patience."

            "As you wish My Lord." The messenger disappeared. 

            "Orcs. Honestly. I wasn't born yesterday…" Nero sniveled as he once again continued his path to the throne room.

            Night drew near, and as the last of the drops of sunlight dripped through the throne room, Nero stood, read for a grand feast. He paused to stare out at the sunset for a brief moment. Something felt out of place… A loud scream cut through the thick mist that permanently covered the forest. The scream was followed by another, then another. Shouts all around the forest went out. Torches were lit. Nero continued to gaze out his windows. A face shot up in front of his. Screaming and sliding back, he stumbled and tripped over his long robes. 

            "What? No! It can't be!" He cried out in terror. Standing not ten feet in front of him was an orc. An ugly, muddy, orc that radiated darkness and evil. The orc closed in slowly on the elf that had been standing so grandly not but a moment before. Just as the orc slashed downward with his sword, Nero drew his own sword and blocked the blow. Metal clashed, and soon as the battle of wills raged, the smell of dirt, blood, and sweat permeated the thick air. With one final blow, Nero bested the orc and the beast fell to his feet. But Nero's victory could no be savored for long. More orcs poured through the doors and windows. Nero heavily breathed, then charged into battle. He had not survived the first invasion of orcs for no reason. 

            Slowly the orcs were driven away. There had not been enough of them to make a large enough dent in the elves. That, along with the elfin natural ability to strike at their enemies without being seen was enough to finally drive the orcs away. But the damage had been done.

            Nero stood in the middle of his throne room, barking orders. "You, yes, you there! Gather five or six elves and clear out these bodies. Take care not to let their blood drip into the river or any drinking water. No you fools! Don't drag them away, lift and carry them! To think you would have stained my beautiful floor with orc blood. Incompetent fools!" Though the elves grumbled slightly, them did as commanded and began clearing the orc bodies. 

            "I am going to inspect the royal treasury room. Keep up your work." Nero waved to them carelessly as he strode through the door. But as soon as he reached the door and was out of sight, he picked up the pace and ran to the treasury room. Finding the lock broken, he cried out in alarm. 

            "No! No, no, no! It can't be!" He cried. 

            "My Lord, what is wrong?" An elf had snuck up from behind him. Nero jumped.

            "They've taken it!" Nero cried in both physical and mental agony.

            "Taken what My Lord? Not one gem is out of place." The elf asked confused.

            "They've stole the Gemstone of Haze!" He continued to cry out in pain as he looked at the giant and muddy footsteps of an orc that led to an empty pedestal in the center of the room.

            "The what sir?" 

            "You are not worthy of the knowledge I have provided so far. Leave, and tell no one of this interlude!" Nero yelled as he stood and collected himself. The other elf simply nodded and faded out of sight. Nero stood for a moment, then continued his walk, back towards the dungeons he had only just visited that morning. Entering the destroyed door, he looked through the cell that had once held his sister. Now it held the body of a dead orc. Not a trace of his sister lay in his wake.

            "Damn! Both Serein and the Gemstone in one foul swoop." He sat beside the body of the orc, a tired and beaten elf. Perhaps this was a sign. Perhaps…

            From the darkened corner of the room, two bright blue eyes with golden flecks stared at the broken King of the Forest of Haze. 

            "The Gemstone of Haze is gone?" The shrouded figure whispered. "But it is the heart of our city, the very thing that keeps us hidden in the mist. Without it, we are completely defenseless! Then I will retrieve it. I must. I will not see my city, my race and home, been torn apart while I can do something to help." Slipping out of the dungeons, she picked up her pace quickly. Racing to what had once been her room, she shut the door behind her. 

Looking around, she felt light hearted, despite the heavy burden she was about to undertake. She was free. Not stopping to wash or change, she grabbed her old stained leather traveling bag and began stuffing it with items. Extra shoes, a blanket, what little money she had left. Then she opened a closet and smiled. Her old weapons sparkled in the pale moonlight. She slung the sword hilt around her waist gracefully, then sheathed her silver polished sword. She threw her set of knives into her bag, but strapped one to her waist, for immediate usage. Throwing on a heavy dark blue cloak, she slung her quiver of arrows over her shoulder and grabbed the bow. Hooding herself so as not to be seen, the small figure picked up the light traveling pack and slipped out through the window. Her quest had begun.

)(

            "Frodo and Sam have gone on their own. Pippin and Merry have been kidnapped. Which do we follow?" A short, stalky dwarf questioned his two comrades as they sat around a small, dying fire.

            "We leave Frodo and Sam alone. Frodo needs to go on his own from now on." A human man stood and stretched slightly.

            "Then we track Merry and Pippin!" An elf stood. The unusual trio nodded at each other.

            "Take only what you can carry, from here on out we will travel light." The dwarf stood and put out the fire. Taking their weapons and traveling packs, they went off immediately. For their friends had been kidnapped by orcs. And all be damned if Aragon the human, Gimli the Dwarf, and Legolas the elf would just sit and let their friends rot with the evil creatures of the dark lord.*

~~~Well now. How was that? I really am hoping for a lot of reviews. I notice very few LotR fics get lots of reviews, but I'm striving to be one that does! Help me achieve my goal! –Vixen~~~

Rix13rix@aol.com  


	2. Wanted Dead or Alive

Chapter Two: Wanted Dead or Alive

*For a hobbit, the bar was an incredibly messy place to be. For two hobbits, however, the bar should have stood out as a warning signal: 'do not, under any circumstances, enter this bar'. Which was precisely the reason the two traveling hobbits, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, made straight for the bar without heed. Both were tired of being on the road. 

After finishing what had seemed like the longest and certainly the worst part of their quest so far, the two hobbits felt their eyes needed to be refreshed. They had seen hide nor hair of another being aside from each other for almost two and a half months. That was a long time for a hobbit.

As they entered the bar, they were immediately immersed within the loud ruckus and tall human men. Slowly dragging their way to an empty table, they sat in quiet for a moment. Finally, the one named Frodo spoke.

"Sam, remember we can't go by our real names. Someone might recognize us."

"Of course Master Frodo." The other one, Sam, spoke with a jolly cheer to his reply. Frodo stared at his friend for a moment, then Sam flushed a pale pink.

"Sorry about the whole Master Fro-, well, you know. So do we get to pick ourselves new names?" Sam quipped.

"Sure. I'll be Durbin."

"Durbin?" Sam mimicked, laughing. Frodo joined him. It was good to feel safe enough to laugh for a moment.

"It was my great grandfather's name." He explained to Sam.

"Well then. I'll just be Darwin."

"Durbin and Darwin. Sam, we'll be found out for sure!" They were laughing again. Frodo stood. "Want something to drink?"

"Ale?" Sam more asked than stated.

"Sounds good to me too. Any money left?" Frodo asked, glancing perilously at Sam as he took out their meager coin purse.

"Enough." Sam announced, handing the money over. Frodo left him for the bar counter. As he jumped to be seen be the bartender, he realized it was hopeless. The bartender was too busy at the moment to see him.

"Short one, you are far from your home. What brings you to such a place?" A muffled voice drifted into Frodo's ears. He turned slightly to the side to see a shrouded figure sipping a tankard of ale. 

"My business is my own." He stated firmly. A tiny peel of laughter feel from the stranger's hidden lips.

"Very well then. May I assist you in getting your drink?" Frodo looked at the figure with a hard, judgmental glance. "Don't worry short one, I won't bite. Hard." More laughter. Frodo's eyes lit. This person had a sense of humor. Rare in these times. 

"Very well. I'll hold onto the money though." Frodo relented.

"As you wish. Bartender?" The figure called out with a demanding tone. The bartender looked up from his conversations with men on the opposite side of the bar counter and smirked.

"Something else to your liking, sir?" He sneered.

"One…"

"Two…" Frodo interjected. He could almost feel the figure smile.

"Two tankards of ale."

"Sure. I hope you got the money."

"I do."

"I don't see it." Frodo placed his hand on the counter and laid out the money.

"There's the money." He said.

"Alright then." The bartender slipped the money away and replaced it with the two tankards of ale.

"There you are short one. Go back to your companion and enjoy your ale." The cloaked figure nodded a farewell, and Frodo took off back to Sam.

"Did you get it? What was that man speaking to you about? Was he safe? Did you use your fake name?" Sam's questions shot at Frodo so quickly he nearly dropped the mugs.

"Here's your ale. The man helped get the bartender's attention, that's all. He wasn't bad, just had a slight sense of humor."

"How do you know you can trust him?"

"I don't. I don't trust anyone anymore Sam. Well, there are a few exceptions."

"Exceptions? I'm one I hope."

"Of course. As well as Aragon, Gimli, Legolas, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf, if he was alive." Frodo bowed his head in slight remembrance of the old wizard who had been his friend, guide, and savior till the end of his life.

"What of Boromir?"

"What of him?" Frodo asked. "He was not trustworthy. That is why we left."

"Oh. Sorry, forgot."

"You would." Frodo joked. Sam looked hurt for a moment, then brightened.

"So where do we head from here?"

"As far as I can tell, we continue heading straight towards the mountains." As he spoke, an arrow flew through the open door, and sailed right over his head, barely missing and nicking him instead. Crying in pain, he ducked to the floor and dragged Sam with him. Using the table as defense, the two hobbits were able to blockade themselves from another, larger volley of arrows. A few of the men next to them weren't quite so lucky. They fell. First a small trickle of blood dribbled to the floor and rolled towards Frodo. Then the trickle grew, and soon Frodo found himself sitting in a puddle of sticky, red blood. 

The men of the tavern had moved quickly to blockade themselves in from the orcs that stood hounding them outside. Picking up tables, they covered the windows and door. A rally of men gathered, and they raised their swords, ready for action when the orcs broke through the barriers. Then, a loud, slurred voice from outside boomed into the tavern.

"Give us the hobbits, the halflings, and we will let you men live!" One of the orcs was offering. A few of the men stepped forward.

"Give us a moment to consider!" He called. There was no response, but the orcs stopped their charging. Three of the men dragged Frodo and Sam out from under the table.

"They wants these babies! We should turn them in!" One man yelled out.

"Yes, turn them over!" Another man shouted. The support of the first man's suggestion grew rapidly, with shouts from the other men.

"Stop! You cannot just turn them over! You have a responsibility to them!" Frodo looked to see who had spoke for them. It was the cloaked figure.

"What responsibility do we owe to these creatures?" A drunken man slurred.

"The responsibility to aid life, no matter the race of the creature." The cloaked figure spoke again.

"Look mister, we don't have any responsibility! We're drunks!" The crowd roared with laughter, and continued shouts of turning the hobbits over.

"Too late!" The orc voice came again. "We kill all for the Hobbits!"

"No! we'll give them to you!" The men called.

"Too late! Kill for Hobbits!" Orcs charged again. 

"Look!" One man cried. "All they want is the Hobbits. If the Hobbits are not in the bar, they will leave us alone. Who will take them out?" No one answered. Then the bartender spoke up.

"I will pay the person who takes these hobbits to their destination, where it maybe, as long as it is far away from here!"

"How much?" Another man cried.

"10 Shillings!"

"Not worth it!"

"10 pounds then! Who will take me up on this offer, and save us all?"

"I will." It was spoken so softly it went unnoticed to all but the Hobbits and the bartender. The cloaked figure had stepped forward.

"Very well then. The person has spoken. Take them then!"

"Money first." The figure negotiated calmly.

"Fine! You'll be too dead to use it in five minutes anyhow."

"As you wish to believe, do believe. But the money or no deal."

"Here, take it and flee!" The bartender shoved the money into the figure's hand. It disappeared beneath the figure's cloak. Then the figure spoke.

"Drop the halflings. They are my responsibility now." The men holding Frodo and Sam dropped the poor boys to floor. They huddled behind the cloaked figure that had spoken for them.

"But sir, how do we get out?" Sam half whined, half questioned. 

"Stay very close to me. Behind me." The figure whispered. "We'll be making a run for it." The figure turned to the men. "Hand me three of those serving platters." The figure gave one to both Frodo and Sam. "Use them as a shield. We don't know if they have arrows or not. Men, on the count of three move the table blocking the door!"

Moving aside, them men waited for the count. "One. Two. Three!" And as the table was moved, the figure and two hobbits fled. As they ran out, the table was once again pushed to cover the door. There was no turning back.

Orcs raced at them. Only ten, Frodo counted. Not as many as he had seen before. He and Sam both drew their swords, intent on helping the figure slay the vile creatures. Instead, the figure pushed them behind a rain barrel beside the bar. 

"Stay hidden till I return. Don't move before that." Sword drawn, the figure dashed off to do battle. Not much a fight. Quickly swing the bright sliver blade, Frodo and Sam were awed. The swordsman's skill was clear. A half crescent slash, then an uppercut. Followed by a gab straight through the heart. Three down. Two messy decapitations followed. Then a larger orc waltzed up. Though he knocked the fighter's sword from his grasp, the fighter quickly compensated. Dropping low, a spin kick tripped the orc. A knife appeared and the silver blade was driven through the through of the orc. Blackened pools of blood slipped from the slit, and blood sprayed over the figure's hands. Standing and quickly finishing the rest of the orcs, the battle ended only moments after it had begun.

"You may come out now, short ones." The figure called. Then he stood. Knocking gently on the table over the door, he shouted to the men within the tavern. "You may wish to leave now gentlemen. The orcs have been finished, but more will return." The table was rolled back. The dazed men walked out and stood in dumbfounded wonder at the sight before them.

"And by the way." They all turned to face the faceless and cloaked figure, which Sam and Frodo now stood behind. "I would hone your fighting skills gentlemen." He picked up his sword and began wiping the blacked and crusting blood from its silver blade. "There is going to be a war, make no mistake. Begin training now, and you just may live to tell the tale. Come short ones, we will leave them to their own company for now." Frodo and Sam simply followed the figure as he cut his way across the battle field towards a small grove of trees clumped nearby. So many questions, what would they ask first?*


	3. Reformation in the Fellowship

Chapter Three: Reformation in the Fellowship

* "So then the orcs were taking them to Saruman's stronghold?" The dwarf Gimli sighed. Just as he had feared. 

"That is what their tracks read in my eyes. Aragon?" Legolas looked to his human companion for a second opinion.

"I believe so as well."

"Well then. It was only a matter of time before we had to go to face him. He is growing more powerful as we speak." Gimli muttered.

"Yes. Better to face him now before he gains any more strength." Legolas nodded in agreement with his good friend.

"Then we have a long journey ahead of us if we wish to get there quickly." Aragon smiled grimly. At least they knew where their hobbit friends were. And Legolas was right. Better to face Saruman now then wait for him to grow more powerful.

"In that case, I had better save all the power I can for the fight." A familiar, airy voice floated by them. The trio turned. No noise. No response. Dead. Silence.

"… Gandalf?" Aragon finally spoke, regaining his composure. 

"I should hope I'm no other. That would be very disconcerting indeed." He smiled sadly.

"But Master Wizard, you were killed in Moria…" Gimli boasted.

"No. But that is a tale for another time. Come gentlemen. Aragon was correct when he spoke that we have a long journey ahead. We go to rescue Merry and Pippin? What of Frodo and Sam?" Gandalf asked concerned.

"They left on their own. They were safer that way." Legolas answered, finally regaining his voice. It was incredible. Here was a friend he had only a moment ago thought of as dead, killed by demon of the dark. But he was living, breathing, and back with them. It was an awe-striking revelation in his mind. Such an unusual happening could only be described as such in his own mind. Suddenly, a new hope entered his soul, like a breath of fresh air after coming up from being underwater for a long time. They had been drowning, barely floating. But now they were swimming once again, and swimming with more strength than before. They would succeed. He had a feeling. They would.

"Well then. Let us not tarry, but hurry on our way. And I have brought something which should considerably help us." Gandalf faded for a moment into the forest, then returned, holding the reins of five horses. "I had five, but I see we will not be needing the fifth. Where has Boromir gone?"

"Boromir fought valiantly, yet he was stuck down in a battle just after we left Lothlorien." Gimli bowed his head out of respect, then stood and brushed the thought aside.

"Bring the last horse anyway. We do not know what will happen. Better to be prepared." Aragon spoke commandingly. After giving a silent moment to the memory of Boromir, Gandalf nodded. 

"Then on we continue, to the citadel of Sarumon to save Merry and Pippin." Legolas spoke. They mounted their ponies and one by one, formed a line. They would succeed. 

)(

"How did you do that? When did you learn to handle a sword so well?" Sam pooped question after question on the mysterious figure cloaked in the midnight blue shroud.

"I learned to handle a sword form a master swordsman, my father." The figure spoke. "Sit and let me tend to you head wound, short one." The figure addressed Frodo. With all of the excitement, he had thought his injury would be forgotten. He himself had momentarily forgotten it. But now it burned and stung like nothing he was used to. That was not true. The other wound, the one he had received right before reaching Rivendell, was much worse. Still. This one hurt something fierce. 

Sam and Frodo watched as the cloaked figure dropped the quiver of arrows from his back and the pack he had slung over one shoulder. Then he dropped the hood of his cloak and began unfastening the clasp. They gasped.

"You're a girl!" Sam accused their savior. The woman in front of them smirked slightly. 

"So I am. Here now. Pass me that pack short one." She motioned for Sam to get the pack she had dropped moments before. He passed it to her, still not speaking. Pulling out a few of the medicinal herbs she had thrown in before, she finally picked out a selection. Laying it out, she stopped to think.

"Surely there must be water around somewhere. Short ones, stay here. You," she addressed Sam, "watch him. And start a hot fire. I'm going to get water. Should an orc comes, well, then, shout out loud." She shrugged and left them with a flask in hand.

"She's a girl!" Sam muttered again.

"And she's as good with a sword as Aragon. I wonder how she is with a bow? Think she can rival Legolas?" Frodo murmured.

"I hope not. What if she's in league with Sauron?"

"Sam. She just slew a bunch of orcs for us. I don't think we have to worry too much. Just don't mention the ring, and we'll be fine. I hope." Frodo swallowed hard.

"Do we tell her our real names then?" Sam asked.

"She didn't seem to recognize us, nor did she look like anyone in the bar. She's probably not from around here. It'll be ok to tell her, I think."

"No orcs?" The two hobbits stopped their conversation when they noticed _she_ had reappeared. They watched as she began to boil the water.

"Now tell me short ones. Where are you destined?"

"Why?" Sam shot back. The woman looked slightly taken back.

"Because. I was paid to take you to your destination, and I have never broken my word. I would like to know where I am to escort you." She explained.

"We don't need an escort, thanks." Frodo answered politely.

"You don't do you? Then, short ones, perhaps you would like to fight more orcs alone? I care not where you go or why, simply that you get there safely because of me."

"And just who are you?" Sam suddenly asked. The woman paused. After a very long and silent moment, she spoke.

"Short ones. I am known as Serein."

"Serein? That's a nice name." Frodo said, rather sleepily. 

"Short one, you must keep awake. Do not fall asleep yet. It could be dangerous to your head if you do." She wakened Frodo.

"My name is Frodo, Frodo Baggins." He said.

"And I am Samwise Gamgee, or Sam."

"Well then short ones. Care to tell me where we are headed?" The hobbits exchanged a look.

"We are headed over the mountains. After that, we are not sure." Frodo finally told her.

"Very well. I myself am headed that way. I will see you to the other side of the mountain range, then go about my own business. Does this seem fair to you?" She compromised. She would break from them, then go straight the citadel of the White Wizard gone corrupt. The wizard who had her city's Gemstone…

"That sounds good." Sam answered. With that, they settled down as they waited for Serein to treat Frodo's wound.

)(

Only five days into their traveling routine and already they had slipped into a routine. The morning usually began with an early arousal by Serein. After Sam had cooked them a decent breakfast and they had eaten and packed, they set out once more. 

Serein, who was not used to eating a meal at mid-day was slightly edgy the first time they stopped for a mid-day snack. But soon after that she got used to it, though she could not bring herself to join the hobbits in eating. Sam made such larger breakfasts and suppers than she was used to that she could never fully finish before feeling sluggish and sick. 

Around dusk they settled down and after a dinner, the hobbits casually drifted off to sleep. Being an elf, Serein did not need sleep as they did. She kept watch. Everyday it was the same.

But everyday was not the same. The hobbits, Frodo and Sam, amused her more than she had thought possible. They entertained her with tales of their home in a place called the Shire. She heard of Frodo's Uncle and friend, a mister Bilbo Baggins. Their antics kept her on her toes, of this she was sure. What she was not sure of was why they wished to go over the mountain range, or why the orcs had been so desperate to catch the little boys. But her oath at the beginning of their journey reminded her to hold her tongue over such issues.

As Frodo sat listening to Sam's re-account of Merry and Pippin's adventures at Bilbo's last birthday party, he thought over the last few days. Once he had gotten over the shock of his shrouded figure being a girl, he learned to like her. She was quiet, often allowing either Sam or himself to dominate the conversation. Her beauty surpassed most he had ever come across, even rivaling that of Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien. Her long blond hair flowed in soft waves down to her waist. She never tied it completely up, only left it half up in a very loose tie so it covered her ears and softly framed her oval face. Her eyes were the color of sapphires, and held within them flecks of gold. The most unusual eyes on a human he had ever seen. But that was humans for you, always surprising you.

They were really had become comrades, even friends. And she knew nothing of the ring. It was nice to have that load off of his mind for a while. There were times during the day when he even forgot why he was traveling to Mordor and just walked.

Sam finished his tale and was rewarded with a small tinkling of Serein's faeryish laughter. He had come to trust her impeccably during their travels. She took good care of them, just as Aragon, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli had. He missed his friends…

"Stop." Serein's light voice commanded an air of respect. The atmosphere grew heavy with silence, then she broke it and spoke once more. "Please, short ones, climb that tree and do not come down for any reason. Is that clear?" She asked.

"Yes." They replied simultaneously. They scurried up the tree and sat in the highest of the branches. They watched as Serein drew her sword and leaned casually against the tree they were in. Only then they heard it. Orcs. Lots of them. Fifty orcs swarmed out from the trees and engaged Serein in battle. 

But Serein had not survived the first orc invasion of Sauron for no reason. She had not lived through the final battle for nothing. Slashing, slicing and dicing, she began to hack her way through the company of orcs with skill and grace the hobbits had yet to witness. But the orcs kept coming. This time there were more than just the ten smaller ones at the bar. There were more, larger ones. Sam and Frodo exchanged looks. They knew Serein would not be able to hold out forever. And what then? If she was slain by the orcs, would they not find the hobbits and just go on, passing them by? Or would they climb the tree to get to them? 

They could hear the metal clanging of swords nearby. And the grunt of the orcs as they went into combat with their opponent. 

"Who do you suppose the orcs are tormenting now?" Gimli muttered sarcastically.

"A helpless band of travelers, no doubt." Gandalf snorted.

"Well. We are here to help travelers. Let us stop to rid this forest of more of the slime that pollutes it." Legolas announced. The others nodded. 

"But leave the horses here. We don't want them slain." Aragon suggested. They dismounted, tied the horses, then drew their weapons. Legolas took to the trees branches, bow and arrow drawn. Aragon readied his sword, as did Gandalf. Gimli wielded his ax. They charged. 

Stepping into the clearing, they began slaying orcs from behind as they made their way to the people in trouble.

"The people look to be near the base of the tree!" Aragon called. They fought their ways inward. The massive blood bath continued. An arrow there, a strike here. Orc blood seeped into the ground, poisoning all plant-life nearby. But when all was said and done, five victors remained on the battlefield: none of which were orcs. As the four warriors who knew each other gathered to assess the damage to each other; one stood tensely by the base of the tree. Except to strike and avoid, she had not moved the entire battle.

"Who are you?" Aragon finally noticed the girl at the tree and addressed her.

"My question exactly." She replied cryptically. She fingered her sword ever so gently.

"We are a simple band of travelers. We heard the orcs and thought someone was in distress. Are you the only one left my dear?" Gandalf asked.

"Perhaps. But I was the only one to begin with. Thank you for your help. Good day then." She nodded. Legolas looked up from the cut he had been examining on Gimli's arm. Her tone had been intriguing to his ears. Melodic and light, yet dark and warning. He drank in the sight before him. The woman was beautiful. Long golden hair, and enchanting deep blue eyes. She had such a pale and thin frame, he wondered how she had managed to slay even one of the giant orcs. But she had killed, more than likely, more than he had. She was covered in the blackened blood of orcs, and her own red blood mixed with dirt and smeared on one of her arms. Still, her overall effect was dazzling.

"You are injured Lady." Aragon broke the tense silence. "We could help…"

"It is not needed. Leave. Please." She requested. Her tone sounded reassuring and almost pleading for them not to worry for her. Still it was strong.

"We have introduced ourselves. I find it only fair you do the same." Gimli spoke.

"You gave me a generalization. You are travelers, as am I. Please."

"Very well then, if you wish a name Lady. I am Legolas Greenleaf, an elf of Northern Mirkwood." 

"Your name makes lit…"

"Legolas! Aragon! Gimli! And Gandalf!" Frodo and Sam jumped from the tree at once upon hearing the name of their friend elf.

"Short ones. Did I not warn you stay within the tree until I called it was safe?" Serein frowned. But they seemed to know the travelers and trust them…

"Frodo! Sam!" The other four travelers cried. A proper welcoming was in order. And Frodo and Sam finally comprehended that Gandalf had returned. 

As the four mysterious travelers spoke with her 'short ones', Serein stood back. Nodding her head to herself, she quickly slipped out of view. They knew each other quite well by their welcoming, and would be safe without her for a short time. 

Gathering firewood, she piled it and began a fire, a while away from the orc battle site. When the others were ready, they could join her. For now she could boil water to tend to their wounds. Her arm hurt something horrible.

"Hey, where did Serein go?" Frodo asked over the loud noise they had been making with all their welcoming. 

"Who?" Gimli asked.

"The girl who we were with, where is she?" Sam asked, echoing Frodo's thoughts.*


	4. Vie for Authority

Chapter Four: Vie for Authority 

*"So she has a name, she isn't just an apparition." Legolas joked, a light smirk playing upon his lips. It had been long since he had felt so complete. And smiling helped.

"Yes." Sam nodded seriously.

"Don't fear halflings. There is smoke from a fire just beyond. While we have been talking, the fair maiden had been working." Aragon smiled.

"She does that all the time. She's like that…" Frodo answered quietly. The mood somewhat darkened for a short time. Then Gimli spoke.

"Well, if she has got a fire going, I'm going to sit by it and warm my bones." The mood lightened again and the friends walked to the fire. Seeing them coming, Serein stood to her full height. Having already washing her face and cleaning her cut, not to mention placing her blue cloak over her shoulders, she made a large impression on the incoming crowd.

"Hello again, travelers." She greeted them, slightly bowing her head. 

"Serein, these are our friends. The human is Aragon, the wizard is Gandalf, the dwarf is Gimli, and the elf if Legolas." Frodo began.

"And Aragon, Gimli, Gandalf, Legolas, this is Serein. She saved us from orcs in a bar, and has promised to take us across the mountains." Sam finished.

"An honor to meet you, maiden." Gandalf stated, a smile coming to his thin lips.

"Yes. Thank you for caring for our friends." Aragon greeted her.

"You have kept them alive, I thank you greatly." Gimli nodded.

"My Lady, it is a pleasure to see such a fair maiden can hold her own, and that of her friends as well." Legolas took Serein's hands and kissed the backs. Quickly she pulled her hands away, but not before blushing a slight scarlet.

"Enough of the flattery. I'm covered in orc blood and guts below this cloak. It really isn't appropriate for my mood." She gave no hint of her comment being humorous, save her eyes, which danced with mirth and mystery. Frodo and Sam, used to her unusual humor began to laugh. The others stood in slight awe. But they caught on quick enough and soon were smiling as well.

"Please, sit. If Frodo and Sam trust you, then I will give you a chance."

"Why thank you. I feel honored at a chance with you." Legolas joked. Laughing commenced. After dinner Serein watched the friends exchanged stories. It was nice to hear Frodo and Sam so happy. And the tales were interesting. Though they all seemed to revolve around something which none of them would give a name to with her listening. She did not mind. Soon her mind grew hazy. She had not slept for weeks, and today had been a trying battle. If tomorrow they were to begin the mountains, she would need rest. Laying against a tree, she close her heavy eyelids and fell asleep.

Time drifted by as it got later and later. Soon Aragon noted the hobbits were yawning.

"Why not go to sleep?" He suggested.

"It seems Lady Serein has already done just that." Gimli laughed.

"What?" Sam and Frodo shot up.

"What's wrong with the Lady wanting to sleep?" Gandalf asked.

"Nothing. It's just that she never slept when she was with us alone." Sam murmured.

"Never slept? The only race that can go without sleep is an elf. She is human, she could not go without sleep. She probably stayed awake longer and then got up earlier." Aragon spoke without skipping a beat.

"No. When Sam or I would wake in the middle of the night, she was always awake, sword beside her. How odd." Frodo spoke.

"Well. Never you mind. Let her sleep now if she has not slept all that time. I will take first watch." Legolas stated.

"Very well. Wake me for second watch." Gimli nodded.

"And I for third." Aragon spoke up.

"Good." And with that, they slept.

Morning came to the small company as dawn broke over the horizon line. Slowly and meagerly, the hobbits dragged them selves awake with Aragon's urging. Gimli woke Legolas by throwing small pebbles at him. When one of the pebbles rolled into Legolas' slightly parted lips, he choked and sputtered awake. The camp was in an uproar. 

"Oh, to see the mighty elf brought down by a pebble!" Gimli laughed. Frodo and Sam were rolling with laughter, and Aragon and Gandalf chuckled as well.

Serein awoke to the sound of laughter. Looking around, she caught sight of something unusual. The elf she had been introduced to the night before was flushing a dark rouge, and the others, including Sam and Frodo, were laughing at his expense. It was a warm sight to awaken to, compared to waking and finding herself alone and isolated in a foreign land. The sun felt warm on the face, and the wind blew with a soft caress. The sun… damn. She had woken later than usual, throwing them behind schedule. Well, they would just have to make up for lost time then. The breeze carried the smoke from Sam's cooking her way. But first a little breakfast was in order.

"Tell me short one, what do you cook this morning?" She joined the rest of the company. They seemed to have forgotten of her in their laughter.

"Good morning Serein!" Frodo smiled her way. 

"Short Frodo." She gave a slight laugh and nod in his direction. "Did we sleep well short ones?" She inquired.

"Very well!" They chorused together. It was tradition to respond this way. Then Serein addressed the new comers.

"And your sleep men?"

"Indeed, it was most restful." Gandalf answered for them all. Could they trust her?

"Save for the pebbles." Legolas muttered. The others broke into laughter.

"I am afraid I do not follow your joke." Serein gave them a funny look, cocking her head to the side, as if examining them for any hint of insanity. But as quickly as she had begun the look, she stopped it. "Sam, cook quickly. We lose time sitting here."

"Lose time? The day has only just begun Lady." Gimli stated proudly.

"Usually Serein makes us move out just as the sun hits the horizon line." Sam answered, mussing with his cooking in the all the while.

"That is early for such a young group to move." Aragon commented.

"No earlier than the day itself." She replied cryptically.

"I am afraid, my dear Lady, that you speak in constant riddles with us." Gandalf stated calmly.

"I speak what I wish you to know, no less and certainly no more." An old fashioned stand-off between the old wizard and the seemingly young girl commenced. For a good few moments they dared not gaze anywhere besides at each other. Then Gandalf blinked and turned away.

"Food's on!" Sam announced good-naturedly. Handing around the provisions, they fell into an awkward silence. And that way they stayed, each to their own thoughts, until they had finished their morning meal.

"Short one, your cooking amazes me." Serein smiled at Sam.

"And yet you never finish it all!" Frodo accused in a friendly tone.

"Ah! There is too much for me! Waste not your provisions on me. Come now. Pack, we need to get on the road." She reminded them.

"Alright, alright, we're packing." The hobbits went off as she stood and began to clean their campsite. The four men simply stared at the sight. It was as if they had been forgotten within the routine of the Hobbits and their new ally. 

"Forgive me Lady, but you will be accompanying us across the mountains?" Legolas asked, breaking the spell.

"Us? I am afraid you are off, young elf. I alone will be taking the short ones across. You would be better off on this side of the range, I guarantee you of that." She scoffed at them.

"Lady, our goal and the goal of the Hobbits is one in the same. You see, we began as one company, only to split in the middle of our travels and be reunited here and now. You are right, it will be better off on this side of the mountain range, which is why you will be staying here." Legolas firmly stated. Aragon nodded in agreement as he, Gandalf, and Gimli stood to face the girl.

"I will do no such thing. I was paid, as you may remember from the take last night, to escort the short ones across the mountains. And I have never broken my word. I will see my duty through. And after that, I have my own business to attend to across the mountains. You see, though you may have begun this journey together with the same goals, I too have now joined you with a slightly mutual goal. If you insist upon coming, that is fine. But you will need to abide by my rules."

"Us? Abide by your rules?" Gimli snorted.

"Laugh as you wish master dwarf. You do not affect me one way or another."

"Oh? And would you, then, perhaps take orders from a Prince?" Gimli pressed.

"I acknowledge no Prince here dwarf. And if I did, I would only acknowledge his title, and no more. A Prince does not always have the best answers. With my orders, I know I will be safe, as will the Hobbits."

"You know." Gandalf spoke low and quiet. "You almost sound treasonous." Serein gave him a hard glance. 

"I am no more of a treasoner than those whom have run from a battle in fear." 

"We're ready Serein!" Sam poked her from behind.

"Then on we go short ones." She and the hobbits began their walk. The four men stared at each other in wonder. Frodo and Sam trusted her this much? They quickly mounted their ponies and caught up, blocking the path before the three on foot.

"We cannot let you go without us, then, Frodo." Aragon spoke.

"You are welcome to come." Frodo told him, confused. "I already thought you were."

"We were given an ultimatum by Serein. Follow her rules or do not join you." Gimli said sarcastically.

"It was an ultimatum for a reason, understand master dwarf. Safety first. I have walked these mountains before, I know the path, and I know what lays ahead." She quipped, not to be outdone.

"Why not all of us go, and when a decision is needed, decided then?" Sam asked. A silence broke for a moment. The stiff air was thick.

"Very well then." She conceded. 

"Agreed." Legolas stated for them. Though the atmosphere had not yet lightened, they had reached an agreement. 

"We will ride faster on horse back. Frodo, with me. Sam, Aragon." Gandalf stated. "Serein, you may have the fifth pony, if you can ride."

"I can." She nodded. Gimli released the rope he held for the last pony, and Serein went to work unsaddling him.

"No saddle Lady?" Aragon was surprised.

"No. Only bareback." She muttered coldly. They took it as a warning sign to back off, and began their ponies, not waiting for her to finish.

The mountain slope finally increased, and the trail of horseback riders prayed there would be no… interruptions… until they were over the main pass. They stopped mid-day to humor the hungry whims of the hobbit's stomachs. 

"The weather is turning upon us." Legolas spoke gravely. Each of the men remembered the last time the weather had turned upon them. They had been forced to back down and regroup. 

"I fear the worst." Gandalf replied gloomily.

"What for? They are nothing more than heavy rain clouds." Serein replied carelessly. She was seated upon a boulder some feet away from the main group. Legolas turned and looked at her. How did she possibly know they were just rain clouds? She seemed confident, however, and this put him at ease. He walked over to her, bringing an apple as a peace offering.

"Forgive me Lady." He stood in front of her. "Care to take this apple as a sign of my repentance?"

"Forgive you for what?" She looked up, surprised he was speaking to her. Frodo and Sam had been quiet since their friends had returned, and their friends had been even more so tight lipped than the hobbits. It was simply a slight surprise for him to try.

"Forgive me for…" Legolas repeated. "I don't know. It just sounded like a good way to break the ice. Care for an apple?" He smirked.

"No thank you." She stated calmly.

"Well then, will you mind me joining you?"

"I am sitting here. I care not what you do."

"As I 'care not what you do' as well." He smirked some more. He could see the annoyance building in her eyes. Such captivating eyes. This was fun. He should make teasing her a regular occurrence.

"Young elf, do not toy with me." She stated icily.

"How do you know I'm young? You seem younger than me. In fact, you look ten years younger than I." 

"I do not take that as a compliment, elf boy. Leave me in peace." She sighed inwardly. She had to focus on her task ahead. She had to be ready to take on the might Saruman that now held her city's only hope for survival. Screw this elf and his friends, they were simply an annoyance in her eyes.

"Very well, Lady." Legolas felt slightly hurt she had shot him down so harshly. She had not even had the decency to look him in the eye as she did it. Well. If his friendship was unwanted, he would go somewhere it was.   
"Gimli, do you realize you and Frodo are nearly the same height?"

"Elf! Do not insult me as such!" Laughter ensued, and things went back to the way they had been. 

Four days of this went on. Each day Legolas tried to amend and create a friendship with Serein, and each time he was rejected. The hobbits became more withdrawn as they neared the bottom of the mountain. Only two days' journey left and they would be in the land of Mordor. Each shivered with the knowledge of what would happen once they reached the wicked land.* 


	5. Through the Mountains

Chapter Five: Through the Mountains 

*That night as they stopped, everyone fell asleep. Gandalf, who had been on watch, drifted in between a state of sleep and awareness. The rest of the company slept fitfully as usual. And as they slept, a drop fell to the dusty earth. And another. And still another. Finally large, hard pellets of rain fell in torrents upon the small company. Gandalf, who had finally woken at the feel of the rain, rushed to alert the others. They scrambled for their supplies and looked for any shelter possible. 

"There, higher on the mountain!" Gimli's trained eye spotted a large cavern off the ground.

"What of the horses?" Legolas yelled.

"Leave them here! They're tied to the trees and can't bolt, they'll be fine!" Aragon called back. The company began to scale the vertical cliff to get to the opening. Aragon and Gandalf had been the first to begin climbing. Gimli joined them quickly as well. Just as Legolas was about to start up the rock wall, he heard of a problem.

"We can climb trees, but we don't know how to climb the rock!" Frodo yelled to Serein over the booming thunder of the storm. Serein looked at the cliff. Quickly calculating, she nodded to herself. It was possible.

"Very well then. I can carry one of you on my back as I go up. I will come back for the other."

"That won't be necessary, I can take one." Legolas offered.

"Fine then. Frodo, come on." She agreed quickly.

"Sam, on my back!" Legolas commanded. Then the two elves hoisted themselves up the stone wall and towards the cave. Legolas reached the top first, and after Sam had climbed off of his back, he reached down and with Gimli's help, pulled Frodo up off Serein's back as she reached the mouth of the cave. Legolas reached down to help her in, but she refused.

"Our packs are still down there! I'll be right back!" She called. Nimbly slipping back down, she made a run for the packs she had abandon earlier to help the halflings. She stood at the bottom of the cave and tossed them up, letting the people inside of the cave catch them. 

"Come on Serein, that's everything!" Sam called.

"Right!" And she began to climb again. But the rock had become slippery. One wrong foot placing, and the wall began to give way under her light weight. Slipping and knocking the wind out of herself, she grabbed on. If she let go, she would fall and most likely break her neck. Where then, would her kingdom be? No leader and no protection would leave them vulnerable. She could not fail, for them, for her people, she could not fail. 

Her cloak by now was water logged, and weighed her down a great deal. Still, she managed to, with sheer force of will and strength, regain her footing and scale the wall. As she reached the top, two strong arms reached down and carefully lifted her in the rest of the way. She clung to the figure, not caring who it was at the moment, only happy to be alive.

Soon her racing heart beat stilled, and she had regained her lost breath. She calmly lay her head against the man who had so graciously helped her in her time of need. Opening her tired eyes she took in the sight of green and brown, Legolas' signature tunic. He had been the one to pull her into safety. Not having the energy to be able to look up as of yet, she merely murmured to him.

"Thank you, Legolas."

"You're welcome Serein." He slightly pushed her back to examine her. "No bruises, broken bones, or scrapes. Amazing." He smirked.

"You're a character." She replied sarcastically.

"Do you know you'll catch your death of cold if you continue to wear those clothes with that cloak?" 

"Now, I highly doubt that." She smirked. The company had chosen to believe she was a human, and seemed content with the thought. She certainly wasn't going to tell them any different unless they asked.

"Believe what you will, Lady. But the others have changed. Perhaps so should you?" 

"I have a better idea. I should not." He frowned.

"Why not?"

"You all changed while I was fetching the packs. You are all men. I am a woman. That should sufficiently explain my reasoning why not. I will be quite content once I remove this cloak." Serein smirked as Legolas' face paled and then flushed at her suggestion.

"Of course, Lady."

"Are you two going to sit there all night? Or would you like to at least get warm by the fire?" Aragon yelled to them.

"Coming!" Legolas yelled back. "Come, I will show you where we have taken refuge."

"Very well." She sighed and stood to follow him.

"Serein! Are you alright?" Frodo asked concerned as the two entered the larger cave the rest of the company had holed up in.

"Rest assured, short ones, I am in perfect health." She smiled at them. 

"Good! Frodo was worried for a moment there! But I told him not to worry!" Sam exclaimed.

"Did you?" Serein asked, amused at the antics.

"Yes. We thought you almost became a pancake when you fell!" Frodo laughed. Serein could hold it in no longer. Such antics these two had. She let a true smile crack, then she grinned widely and giggled with them.

"Is she different to you?" Gimli leaned over and whispered into Gandalf's ear, which proved to be slightly challenging for the height impaired dwarf.

"She seems to have lightened considerably." Gandalf smiled at Gimli's sense of humor. The dwarf was right though. Maybe they had been too harsh with Serein, just as she had not given them a chance.

"Well, now that we are trapped in this cave until the rain gives way, what do you say to sleep?" Aragon suggested. He was tired, and knew that if he was tired, then the others must be as well.

"Yes." Other chorused.

"Sleep then. I will take the watch." Serein spoke, back to her cooler, more monotonous voice. But it was too late. Her cold image had been shattered, and the others let it brush over them, knowing she was merely hiding her true self. They nodded in thanks to her and each drifted off to sleep.

Serein sat near the entrance to the larger cave so she was able to keep a view of the mouth of the cave in her sight. She missed the warmth the fire had given her, but knew she had more important things to think of than being warm. She was responsible for so much life. Here it was Frodo and Sam, and their new friends. Back home her duty was to her people, though she had not held the duty for so long, she still felt obligated to it. A footstep on the cave floor brought her back to her senses. Whipping around, she found Legolas making his way toward her.

"You are supposed to be asleep." She informed him.

"Supposed to be. But I am an elf, I do not need sleep as humans. In fact, I cannot sleep right now anyway." He replied.

"Oh? And why not?"

"My dreams are unsettling. And you looked lonely." He watched her stiffen. But his vision was overcome with a flashback of her smiling and laughing contentedly while speaking to the hobbits earlier. He shook his head to clear the murky, unwanted vision and refocused back upon her.

"I am not lonely, merely board." She covered. "Why do you insist upon giving me your company?"

"You look as if you need a friend."

"Friend? I will be leaving you shortly after we get off this mountain range. I will, in all probability, never see or hear of you again. A friendship between us would be a foolish waste of time. Besides, there are other more pressing matters weighing upon our minds. We should concentrate upon them instead of upon each other."

"I disagree. Even if we never meet again. which I am sure will not be the case, having a friend even for a little while can be a nice release before thinking upon our important issues."

"Well then, I am afraid our friendship will merely be one-sided." She ended the conversation abruptly. "The rain has stopped. Awaken the others, it is time for us to continue on our way."

The company traveled for only another day before they reached the bottom of the mountains. It was late that night when they decided to stop and sleep, and early the next morning when Serein awoke. She packed away her things and grabbed an apple. Not stopping to look back, she began her march away from the company.

"Leaving us are you?" She turned on her heel to find Gandalf the Gray staring intently at her. 

"I have done my duty to Frodo and Sam. Now I must fulfill the quest I originally came to complete."

"No good-byes?"

"Good-byes are hard on all. It would be…"

"Horrible for you to leave without saying them!" Frodo interrupted her. While she and Gandalf had spoken, the others had awoken.

"I am sorry short one." She said quietly.

"Are you really leaving then?" Sam asked.

"I am. I have my own journey to complete, as you have yours. Be careful around this place, short ones. Orcs are more numerous here than anywhere, and they will stop at nothing to get to you, it seems. But you are in good hands. Gandalf, Aragon, Gimli, Legolas, you are now obligated to watch the short ones. Keep them out of trouble." She nodded to each of them. Them she turned around and left, once again, not looking back.

"Well. I'm going to miss her." Sam sniffed.

"As am I Sam, as am I."

)(

Serein came upon an unholy sight as she looked behind her. The mountains that she had just crossed were now covered in a thick black mist. Saruman was working up a storm. That could only mean one thing. He was preparing an attack. Well. If she hurried, she could get to his tower before he had the chance to destroy more of Middle-Earth.*


	6. The Fall of Saruman

Chapter Six: The Fall of Saruman

*Continuing on her path on foot, Serein was sure she was moving more slowly than ever. Then she also took into account the thought that she might have been spoiled into riding ponies when she had been with the hobbits and their friends. Well however, whatever she thought, she simply decided to pick up her pace. 

Instead of walking from dawn until dusk, she began walking from dawn until midnight, and even then she sometimes did not stop. Orcs littered the forest and roads, snorting and squealing as they stood guard over the road to the Dark Tower. Careful to avoid being seen or caught, Serein soon took to the trees and rarely left their safety. Too afraid to make a fire, she slept in the trees often cold. Food was never cooked- even her meat had to be eaten raw from here on out. Survival was the trick to her quest. She needed to survive the forest to get to Saruman, and she needed to survive Saruman to get home. And that meant taking no chances, no matter how much they would have been welcomed.

)(

"So this is the way we are going?" Frodo asked in awe. The six remnants of the original nine Fellowship of the Ring sat atop their ponies on a high hill. Around them, in which ever direction they chose to look, a black smoggy cloud encircled the valley. Directly ahead of them lay the Dark Tower. It looked to be quite far off, but with the ponies, they would reach it in four days, plus any extra time they would lose hiding from orcs, fighting orcs, and in general playing it safe. There was no turning back now, they could only press on.

"Yes, that is the way our path leads. Straight to Saruman in the Dark Tower." Gandalf nodded, a grim look across his features.

"Do we have any chance of making it out alive?" Sam whispered, deathly afraid of what lay ahead.

"You must have faith, dear hobbit. Faith will get us through the dark. It has before, and it will now." Aragon did not falter in answering the hobbit's bitter question.

"Right then." Gimli nodded.

"Well then!" Legolas wheeled his horse around. "What do we await? A band of orcs to spot us? Enough with the sightseeing, let us continue our journey." He smiled darkly. The company began after his lead, and soon they become nothing more than insignificant specks upon the horizon… though they were not insignificant, in fact, they were the most significant of all.

For the next four days they traveled on. After they had cleared the open terrain, they had realized how unhelpful their once prized ponies were. Once again they were forced to give them up to the wild. They were also constantly forced into hiding, sometimes for hours on end, while orcs roamed the forest, combing it in hopes of finding them. Still, the Fellowship made their way carefully through towards the Dark Tower. 

They were so close, only a few miles away. They could hear the dull metal clinking of a large forge, and the snorts of the dirty orcs as they broke their backs laboring under the influence of pure and vile evil. A few noises had sent them into a tree for hiding a hour earlier, and now all they could do was sit and wait. 

Soon a band of large orcs came trampling through the woods and directly towards them. Holding their breaths, each of the Fellowship tried not to move so as to give their position away to the creatures of the dark. But these orcs acted strangely. They did not search as others did. Instead they simply stood in the center of the forest, as if listening to some imaginary force. Then the orcs made an abrupt movement. Wielding giant metal saws, they began to slice through the tree that held the Fellowship. Their secret was no secret any longer.

"How did they know we were here?" Gimli yelled.

"Saruman has most likely been watching us since we left the mountain." Gandalf yelled back.

"Then why does he attack now?" Sam asked.

"Because we have gotten too close for his liking." Legolas grimly readied an arrow. Of the whole Fellowship, his was the only weapon helpful in their situation. But even after firing so many arrows, he realized it was in vain. The orcs were simply too numerous for him to kill on his own. But he would not go down without a fight, he owed Frodo that much, for taking the ring.. "The ring!" He yelled suddenly.

Frodo looked down at the ring that dangled from the chain around his neck. Saruman would get the ring and give it to Sauron if he got a hold of it!

"What should I do with it? He is expecting a hobbit to be carrying it!" Frodo worried.

"Pass it to Aragon!" Sam suggested.

"Yes, give it to Aragon!" Gandalf nodded.

"No, keep the ring! I may not have the will power. I may follow in my father's footsteps after all." Aragon denied the ring.

"Aragon! I can help keep your mind clear if you take the ring!" Legolas yelled back. Time was running out.

"Please Aragon, keep the ring safe!" Frodo called, holding the ring out to him.

"No. You are to keep it hobbit. It is your quest." Aragon stubbornly refused. But by then it was too late. The tree fell on its' side, shaking it's occupants to the ground. Orcs picked them each up and began carrying them in the direction of the tower. They were going to have an audience with the vile wizard, Saruman of Mordor, the right hand man to the Dark Lord himself.

)( 

From the out-cropping in the black rock, Serein watched as the orcs dug deep into the ground of Middle-Earth, ripping it to pieces bit by bit and bringing their evil brothers back from the dead. So many of them, and only one of her. This could lead to complication, unless she played her cards right. The tower was so close, only a few yards ahead of her. She was so close… yet so far.

Using her elfin grace and balance to her advantage, she managed to sneak by the sentries and to a wall of the tower. But this was not like the mountain wall she had had to scale to reach the cave when it had rained. This wall was made of smooth gray stone, without any footholds or places to grab onto to pull herself up. The only window in the wall was some thirty feet above her head. How would she accomplish her goal? From behind she heard a noise. 

Whipping around, she slashed at whatever creature had slunk up behind her. The orc fell dead, without having time to warn it's fellow orcs there was an intruder in their midst. Serein looked at the dead orc. What a waste… or had it been? She looked over the orc skeptically, for any rope or useful tool that could aid her in her problem. She spied the solution. The orc had tied to his shoulders pads made of spikes. Ripping them from the bloody and dirty mass of orc that lay lifeless in the mud, she put the pads over her hands, spiked side palm up. Digging her hands into the soft stone of the wall, she was able to begin pulling herself up. 

Each pull up seemed to last an eternity, in which she only knew the burning sensation that flooded her arms and invaded her brain. She wished she could cry out to alleviate some of the pain, but if she did that, orcs would have her pegged within mere seconds. So she climbed on, towards her goal.

The window was in reach. Almost there. There! She grabbed for the window sill and with one last heave, pulled herself into the window. Resting for a moment, she ripped the pads off of her hands. Trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, she crouched low in the window and surveyed the grand but empty room below her.

On one end stood giant mahogany doors. Opposite the doors was a large chair, draped over in deep crimson and royal blue velvet runs of cloth. Orcs milled about the room, doing what she could not tell. But seated up in the grand throne was the man she had sought for so long, Saruman, thief to her kingdom. She scowled and readied her bow. She would kill him first, then make her way to wherever the Gemstone of Haze was being kept.

Just as she was about to let the arrow fly, the mahogany doors were violently thrown open to reveal an envoy of those whom she had never thought she would see again. Orcs dragged her comrades in one by one, then dropped them before Saruman and stepped away. From her perch, Serein listened to Saruman as he began to speak.

"Gandalf. I thought you were dead, long gone in the mines of Moria with that balrog. And I must say. For the rest of you to have gotten this far, you have quite amused me. I thought I would have you beat with my snowstorm, but you merely found another was through. I thought my orcs would capture the halflings who carried Lord Sauron's ring, instead they came back with the wrong ones." He paused, smirking briefly. "Bring to me the other two halflings." He ordered an orc. 

"Saruman, release us at once." Gandalf commanded.

"You, Gandalf the Gray, are becoming tiresome quickly. Do not play with me, or I may end up killing you before we have any fun. Now then. Hobbits. One of you carries something I value greatly. Return to me the ring, the ring of power!" Saruman commanded. Frodo and Sam huddled together behind Gandalf and Aragon. Legolas and Gimli rose from the ground to take position behind the hobbits, forming a circle of protection around them with Gandalf and Aragon. Weapons were ready to be drawn at any given time, but they dare not do so yet, for to enrage the orcs too soon would be more than fool-hardy.

Once again the doors flung open to reveal more orcs. This time the orcs carried to smaller figures- Serein saw their feet and knew they must be hobbits as well. The little hobbits were dropped harshly to the floor. They stayed laying down for a moment, then each slowly looked up. 

"Frodo?" One called softly.

"Pippin? Merry?" Frodo could be heard answering their call. The two hobbits sat up and hobbled quickly over to the bunch. Legolas and Gimli moved to make room for the other two hobbits in the center of the circle- there would be time for welcomings later. They hoped.

"Enough. The ring." What ring? The words rang through Serein's pointed ears. The one ring of power… no! Surely Saruman did not mean the ring had been found? And that one of the hobbits was carrying it? But it logically fit. The reasons the orcs had attacked them. The reason Frodo and Sam needed to cross into Mordor- to destroy the ring. Even the company matched up now. It was an assembly of the finest of each race working as a coalition.

"We will never give you the ring, Saruman!" Gandalf's voice echoed through the silent hall.

"Very well." Saruman picked up a sword and took a few practice swings. "I was hoping I would get the chance to strike you down once and for all!" He lunged.

"No!" Serein cried from her vantage point. She let the arrow she had had readied for so long fly. It landed straight and true, burying itself deep in the right shoulder of Saruman. His scream pierced the air in an unholy sound of pain. He glared up at the window and looked at the figure, whose face he could not make out. The figure gracefully scaled the wall like a cat might, jumping and landing on her feet, sword drawn, fighting stance ready.

"If you lay so much as a hand on them, I will not hesitate to murder you." She stated coldly and calmly. 

"Serein!" Legolas cried from his point on the protective circle. Was she insane? What was she doing here, of all places? And challenging Saruman no less. Still, she was beautiful in her rugged stance, passionate fixed stare, and confidence. His heart did something it had never done before- it skipped a beat. But he shoved the feeling down, back to pit of his stomach. His oath was to the protection of the hobbits; he had no right to ignore his vows for something so trivial and vain. Legolas narrowed his eyes and tensed more so than before. A battle was brewing; he could feel it in his bones.

"Serein, step back!" Gandalf roared at her. He knew not why she was here, but it was a foolish thing, diving into a challenge as she was without knowing her enemy's power. 

"How dare you! Who are you?" Saruman roared in anger at the petite form in front of him.

"I am Serein. I have a bone to pick with you Saruman."

"Oh?" He sneered, pulling the arrow out from his shoulder. But it was bleeding profusely.

"You sent orcs and invaded my home. You and Sauron both thought you could get away with ransacking my home. But you were wrong. You stole from me something, and I wish it back, immediately." She demanded.

"A high wish for someone who probably owns nothing more than the clothes on your back. What would I have stolen from you? It makes no matter. Attack them! Kill them all!" He yelled. The orcs inside of the room quickly spread out, closing in on the small bunch of warriors trapped in the center of the room. Serein joined the circle around the hobbits and began slicing at whatever came close to her.

"Serein, why are you here?" Legolas yelled to her over the clanging of the swords and cries of pain.

"I told you, I had my own business. It seems, however, that our goals were one in the same: take out Saruman!" She answered him. Soon they had no time left to chat. Orcs everywhere. Gandalf had left their circle to deal with Saruman personally.

"Saruman, you have gone to far!" 

"Never! I will have the ring!" Blasts of magical power blinded the fighters as the two wizards vied for power on the other side of the room. Finally, Gandalf hit a weak spot in the shield Saruman had placed around himself, and got a hit through. One last blow would do it, but he wanted to more than just kill Saruman. He wanted to bring down the entire Dark Tower.

"Aragon! Take the hobbits and run! This place is going to come down around your heads!" He warned them.

"Right!" The heir to Gondor nodded as he finished slicing through the heart of an orc. Dark black blood pooled in puddles onto the already stained floor. But he paid no heed. Grabbing Frodo and Pippin, he began to make a run for it. Merry and Sam quickly followed after them, Gimli fending off anyone who dared attack them as they made their escape. Gandalf sent his last attack flying and as Saruman cried out in his last breath, he damned them all.

"You will die before this war is over! And I will see you rot in hell!" Then his heart burst and the red liquid that had once kept him alive dribbled from his mouth and down his chin. He gurgled, trying to breath, but it was too late. He fell, trapped forever in death as a lost soul to the side of evil.

Gandalf stood in silence for a moment in the crumbling building. Then he too, turned and began to flee. "Legolas! Serein! This place is going to fall! Let's go!"

"Right!" Legolas acknowledge him.

"No! Not without it!" Serein cried in desperation. She was going to get the Gemstone of Haze if it killed her. She owed it to her kingdom. Racing towards the stone stairs at the back of the throne room, she began to climb them.

"Serein! Fool! You'll be killed!" Gandalf cried after her, trying to deter her from her delusional and greedy want for something that would end up killing her.

"I'll get her!" Legolas narrowed his eyes. Gandalf grabbed his sleeve.

"Fool! You'll both be killed then! She is none of our concern! Let's go!"

"She is one of us as much as you are a wizard and I an elf. I will not leave her behind!" He ripped away from Gandalf's hold and raced after her, hoping his speed would be enough to catch the swift woman's. He wasn't going to let her die now, in this battle. No, not now…Up and up he climbed until finally he came to a door which had bee broken in. He found Serein pacing in the corridor.

"Serein! This place is about to collapse! We need to go! Now!" He told her forcefully.

"No! Not without what he stole from me!" She snapped. Then with a look of despair, she looked Legolas in his eyes. "Please Legolas." Stucco and plaster began to fall around them. "I can't leave without it." He sighed.

"What am I looking for?" He asked, turning to the doors and kicking them in.

"A treasure room, or a room that looks as if it holds important trinkets."

"Like this one?" He grunted as he kicked open a door to reveal piles of gold. A stack of rubies lay in one corner, and in another emeralds. In the center stood a platform encased in glass. Serein pushed her way past Legolas and into the room. As he was busy staring at the wealth in the room, she broke the glass casing in the center and carefully took the miniature Gemstone from it's pillow. Placing it carefully into a small leather bag she wore at her waist, she turned to face Legolas.

"Let's go!"

"Go? You found it?" He asked, coming back to reality.

"Yes! Hurry!" She urged them on. Out of the room and down the corridor they flew towards the stairs. Down only a few flights, a huge piece of the wall, which the stones were carved out of, caved in. Legolas, who was leading, was not effected by the breakage in the stairs. He looked back to see Serein slipping off the side. Making a dive for her hand, he grabbed it just has she slipped. She looked up and her eyes met his for split second. Tension between their intense glares rose ten fold.

"Please don't drop me." She spoke softly as she hung, slipping from his grasp. He could see the fear in her eyes. *

~~~Oh! Cliffie! REVIEW and I might consider putting out the next ch! It's already written after all…~~~


	7. Weighing the Choices

Chapter Seven: Weighing the Choices

*"Never." He pulled her one time, the twice hard. The second time she was able to swing up and get a hold on the stairs. He helped her pull herself the rest of the way up. They stopped, sitting on the stairs trying to catch their breaths for a few moments. He held her hands up to examine them. They were cut up and bleeding from smashing the glass casing with her bare hands and then grinding in the glass shards as she clung to the steps for dear life.

"Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

"Yes, I think so." They felt the stairs they were sitting on shift slightly. Exchanging one brief look, they stood and hurried down the rest of the stairs, through the grand mahogany doors, and out on the drawbridge. Confused orcs scattered every which way, to busy watching the destruction of their home to care for the two escaping Fellowship members.

Just as Legolas and Serein crossed the drawbridge, the whole tower's support gave way, and the tower that had once held one of the greatest wizards of all time imploded upon itself and the orcs that had once had a mighty forge below it.

The debris flew over their heads, and both Serein and Legolas dove for cover. They found a large wooden troph filled with water and ducked behind it. Pieces of brick, stone, stucco, and metal flew like bullets through the air, piercing anything that dared stand in their way. A second explosion rocked the ground, and the troph was knocked to its side, leaving Legolas and Serein in the open once again. But there was no time for them to hide once more. Serein turned around to look at the falling tower, and was met with the sight of more debris coming their way.

"Legolas!" She would never forgive herself if someone died on her account when she knew she could have helped. The guilt would have weighed too heavily upon her conscious. Grabbing Legolas' tunic, she threw him to the ground and covered his body with her own. 

Legolas had stood after the troph they had been hiding under had tipped, but he had not turned to watch the dark tower fall. Instead, he had looked for the rest of the Fellowship, hoping they had made it far enough so that they were not caught in the destruction as well. Then he heard Serein scream his name and felt her light grasp pushing him to the ground. Behind her, he could see the sky light up with brilliant colors. Reds and oranges, pinks, and the inevitable black smoke as the flames consumed the tower. He saw smaller pieces of metal coming towards them and hitting Serein on the back as she winced and withstood the pain. 

What the hell was going on? She was protecting him? No. He should be the one protecting her! But she would not budge from her position, no matter how much he protested.

"Serein! We should find another hiding place!" He yelled to her over the noise. But she was beyond listening to words. She could hardly comprehend what was going on, let alone think of another way to solve the same problem. She had to keep Legolas safe… after all, it had been he who had cared enough to offer her friendship, and even though it had been unwanted, she would not let him suffer. He was a comrade in the field of battle, and comrades always stayed by each other, unto the death. 

Some time later, after the fireworks in the sky had gone out, and after Serein stopped feeling little pieces of debris landing upon his back and bouncing off, she finally moved. Legolas immediately sat up and looked at her. She saw he was going to say something, but when he spoke, they were not the words she had thought she would hear.

"Come. The rest of the Fellowship must have gotten back into rim of the forest."

"Yes." She agreed. She had thought he would criticize her for her actions. But he had kept his tongue to himself. A wise elf indeed. They stood. Serein winced. Her back ached and she could feel dried blood flaking with her movements and letting new, warm and wet blood drip. Her hands, too, burned and stung with the movement of pushing herself to stand. But she made no mention of this to Legolas for fear of him thinking her weak. She could tend to her wounds later.

Together the two elves began a quick jog into the fringe of the forest, just where the trees met the open land. Not speaking to one another, they quietly sought out their friends. A knife whizzed by Legolas' ear.

"Gimli! It is us, Legolas and Serein!" He called, recognizing the hilt of the knife. The dwarf stepped out from the low tree branch he stood upon and smiled.

"Legolas! Serein!" Soon the others came out from their hiding places as well.

"So you fools lived to tell of the collapse of the building." Gandalf muttered, staring at them.

"Yes, wizard, we have." Serein acknowledged his musings. Soon the group had built a fire. Originally Serein had been against the idea of building a fire so close to the dark tower ruins, for fear that there were still orcs roaming around, but Aragorn calmed her fears and told her not to worry.

"The orcs will not bother us at the moment until they've been provoked or told to, and because there is no one to tell them to, we are safe. They are mourning over the loss of Saruman and their brothers."

"Very well then." She had submitted. Now they were all sitting comfortably. Aragorn and Gandalf were tending to the wounds that Pippin and Merry had received, which, needless to say, had been grave, but not life threatening. Gimli was working on making the fire hotter, to boil water faster, and Frodo and Sam were speaking with each other slightly off to the side. Legolas and Serein stood on guard, watching for any sign of orcs.

"Where is Boromir?" Merry asked, already knowing the answer. They had seen enough of the last battle to know, but he wanted to double check anyway.

"Boromir has passed away." Aragon told them quietly.

"And who is the new fighter? The girl?" Pippin inquired.

"That, my boy, is Serein." Gandalf stated, giving a quick look towards the girl who paced along near the fire, sword drawn. 

"She saved Frodo and Sam when they were attacked by orcs while they were in a bar. She had originally promised to take them over the mountains, but we met again at the base of the mountains and joined forces for a while." Gimli added, bringing the water over to the injured group.

"That reminds me." Frodo turned around from his conversation with Sam. "Serein. I thought you had your own business in Mordor. Why were you at the Dark Tower?" Serein stopped the pacing of her watch long enough to look at the hobbit.

"My business was with Saruman."

"Then you are with Sauron!" Merry cried.

"No. My business entailed killing Saruman, not helping him." She frowned at the suggestion she would ever try to help the dark forces.

"Why did you want to kill him?" Aragorn asked.

"He had his orcs invade my home. A great deal of it was destroyed, and many were killed. Then he had the nerve to steal from us a priceless artifact that is needed for the future safety of my home. I came to steal back what he stole from me." She sat slowly, watching out for her bloody and cut up back.

"So that is why you risked your life to go up while the tower was collapsing? Foolishness over a petty, superstitious item." Gandalf grumbled. 

"Yes, that is why I risked my life. I would rather perish knowing I had done all I could to help my home than return empty handed. And it is not just some item, as you so indelicately put it." She scoffed at him, standing quickly. Then she hissed in pain and stumbled. Legolas caught her as she fell. Gasping yet again in pain as he rubbed against her back, a lone tear made a path down her dusty cheek. Gently turning her over and removing the heavy blue cloak she always wore, Legolas' eyes widened.

"When were you planning on mentioning to us that you were so severely injured?" He clipped, narrowing his eyes in both anger and worry.

"Never." She whispered. "It didn't hurt as much before, and you know what they say: whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." She smirked despite herself. Legolas frowned. How could she make fun of something so serious? She could have literally bled to death without anyone knowing had she not treated her wounds. Or they could have been infected, or… well, he did not wish to think of what else could happen, but he was sure it the other scenarios were just as gruesome. 

"I don't know what they say, nor do I care. You need help before you bleed yourself to death." He stated roughly.

"Is it that bad?" Aragorn asked from his spot. He couldn't see it from where he was seated in the dusk of the night. Legolas nodded, and Serein shook her head as a no. Legolas carried her to Aragorn and let the man's expression do the talking. 

"I need a clean wash cloth and much hot water." He requested. Gimli brought both and surveyed Serein's back.

"Those are horrible! How did you get them?" He inquired.

"I forget." She stated.

"She got them by protecting me." Legolas grasped at his memories of her shielding him from the debris. "She protected me from the debris after we had gotten out of the tower and it caved in." 

"You helped me first. Not only in helping me to find my keepsake, but you saved me when I began to slip off the stairs. If you hadn't held onto me and pulled me up... " She added quietly and humbly. She looked up and he looked down. Their eyes met and their gazes held for a moment, both completely trapped in the other's compelling stares. Aragorn stopped working on her back as he saw the tension arise between the two. 

"Thank you." Legolas finally broke the sensory overload in his mind. Her eyes with their hypnotic flecks of gold had captivated his soul for too many moments, and he feared that had it been any longer she would have kept his soul prisoner for eternity.

"No." She calmly stated. "Thank you. Friend." Legolas' eyes were the most mesmerizing she had ever had the luck to behold they had held her gaze as they sparkled with mirth and worry. It was a good thing he had broken the silence. She might have lost her composure if he had not.

"I knew you'd eventually see it my way!" He laughed. She grinned and laughed too, and Aragon went back to working on removing the shards of metal and stone from her back.

Night had fallen and darkness had consumed the land. The fire had been banked, and the four hobbits and the dwarf had retired to sleep. Only the two elves, human, and wizard remained awake.

"So the one ring has returned?" Serein asked them. She had been waiting for the halflings to go to sleep before she had brought the subject up.

"So it has." Aragorn nodded in confirmation.

"And all this time it was right under my nose and I didn't see it. I must be getting slow in my old age." She joked with a serious tone.

"Would it have made a difference if you had known?" Gandalf asked.

"Maybe. Most likely not. I want nothing to do with that ring. It has only brought greed and destruction to those who wield it. I certainly do not want to take after them."

"You wouldn't have wanted the power?" Gandalf tested her.

"I know what that ring can do. And I want none of its power."

"How would you know the power of that ring?" Gandalf pressed. She didn't answer, an when it was clear she was not going to, they dropped the matter.

"What will you do now then, Serein?" Aragorn asked the question that had been plaguing Legolas' mind as well.

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean, what will she do? She has what she came for. She will go home." Gandalf stated.

"You think you know me, wizard." She replied quietly.

"I think I know human nature."

"You assume much for one who claims to be so wise. Perhaps you are not as smart as you think you are." Gandalf did not answer; he merely smoked his pipe in deep thought.

"You know where we head from here?" Aragorn asked.

"Mount Doom." She nodded.

"You know," Legolas finally spoke, "we consider you as one of us, one of the Fellowship now."

"Do you?" She asked, avoiding his intense stare.

"Yes, of course." Aragorn added.

"So I have two choices. One, bring back to my home what Saruman stole from us and try to rebuild home immediately, or two, go on with you to Mount Doom." She mussed under her breath. "Such difficult decisions. Perhaps I will walk on them." She stood and shook her cloak slightly, ridding it of any dust it may have picked up while she had sat on the ground. Turning before any of them could speak, she walked off.

A slight ways off she found a larger boulder to sit upon. Tilting her head up, she watched the night sky, wishing that Valor would send her the answer on a shooting star. Everything had been thrown her way so quickly in life. First rule, then imprisonment, then freedom, and now this quest. She wondered if change and the constant revolution that burned in her life would ever come to a slow down, or even halt for her to catch up. 

And now she was faced with a difficult decision. She felt a responsibility to return home, to improve and save her kingdom. But if she went on with the Fellowship, she could help all of the Elvin race as a whole, not just her own people. But could her own people hold out with a tyrant of a King like her brother for much longer? 

"You look troubled." A deep and soft voice echoed in the empty woods and floated to her sensitive ears.

"So I am. I have much to think on, yet I must think upon it all by the dawn." She sighed. 

"Does it not seem like there is never enough time just to be anymore? We constantly need to think, plan, fight. We are constantly on the run, or moving. We have forgotten the times in which the freedom to run and hunt was all we knew."

"Perhaps you have forgotten. I have never known freedom from such things, so I cannot reminisce with you."

"You can't remember one time when you were able to do something simply because you wanted to?" Legolas frowned. A maiden should be one, if anyone, to remember being free to do as they wished.

"No. I have lived my life in constant thought and fear. But now that fear is coming true. Would you like to know something I have learned over my many years?"

"Enlighten me."

"Do not mock me elf, for I know far more than you could ever imagine." She spoke in a clipped tone. He smirked and good naturedly waved her mood off.

"I'm sorry Serein. Tell me what you have learned." He settled on the rock next to her and gazed at the stars.

"I used to believe there was nothing more frightening than your worst fear coming to pass. And that after it came to pass, all of your other fears wouldn't seem as worth any more. You would lose fear. Well, my greatest fears have come to pass."

"And you fear nothing anymore?" He smirked.

"That is just it. I have not. I still fear."

"Then what have you learned?" He laughed confused. She smiled and giggled slightly with him.

"I have learned that there is no life without fear. Fear is what dives us. And I fear that."

"There is a method to your madness, then. But soon fear will be a memory of the past. Once the ring is gone…"

"There will still be orcs. And elves will still turn against one another, brothers and sisters will still argue. Kingdoms will still war with one another, and people will still die." She laughed bitterly. "You see. Even with the ring gone, there is no escape from the fear that plagues my heart and mind."

"Then perhaps you place too much responsibility upon yourself. We were not put alone in this world because of that reason. Friends and family are here to help take some of the weight from you and bare it with you. No one can do everything on their own always. Human companionships is a building block of life, and just as you say fear does, it drives us on through the tougher times." 

"You speak with such eloquence. I wonder how you would react, were you in my position. Well then. I suppose I am going to try to rest before dawn. If I mean to continue on with the Fellowship, I will need my rest."

"So you'll come with us to Mount Doom then?"

"Yes. You've intrigued me with your philosophies. I can't leave now, I need to hear the rest of them." She stood and began walking away, leaving behind her a short laugh, which rang in Legolas' ears as soft and sweet. His heart once again skipped a beat, but this time he did not force the feeling away. It felt good, fulfilling in a way, to feel so strange.

"Good night then, Lady Serein." He whispered to himself. *


	8. Road Rage

Chapter Eight: Road Rage

*The next day came far too early for most of the Fellowship. Moaning and groaning was the only noise heard throughout the camp as the men and woman woke slowly from their unsettling dreams. The fire that had been banked the night before was rekindled, and soon Sam had water boiling. 

"Sam, what do you cook this morning?" Serein asked as she sat near the four hobbits.

"Good morning Serein!" Frodo and Sam chorused. Merry and Pippin, still not quite sure of what to make of her, muttered a good morning as well.

"And did we sleep well last night short ones?" She replied out of habit. Their customary morning ritual was a nice way to remind her that no matter what went on in the world, some things would never change.

"Very well." Was their solemn response. All three looked at each other for a moment. Then Sam and Frodo laughed and Serein grinned.

"What is there to smile upon this morning?" Gimli groaned as he joined them.

"Master dwarf, we merely grin upon the day." Frodo announced.

"As well as we should." Aragorn joined them, Gandalf by his side. "For we have lived to see it." That brought smiles all around.

"How long do you think it will be before orcs are roaming this place for anything salvageable?" Serein asked the men as they sat. But she saw no Legolas. Where was he? Did he need help, or was he just not awake?

"They're moving faster than we had originally thought they could. Instead of being confined to the night, as they used to be, they have been traveling by day as well. I would say we will have today to out this place behind us, and then they will be upon it." Aragorn mentally worked out as he spoke.

"Then we move again? I don't think my legs will carry me very far." Pippin whined.

"Do not complain. Would you Sauron's army of orcs rather recapture you? You be carried off again?" Gandalf reprimanded him.

"All the same…" he continued to bait the old wizard. "I don't think I'll make it."

"Then we shall carry you." Gimli nodded in satisfaction. 

"Food's ready!" Sam called. The eight of the Fellowship gathered to partake of Sam's cooking, and they all noticed something odd.

"Where is Legolas?" Aragorn asked. They shook their heads to say they didn't know.

"Serein, you were the last one to see him last night. Where is he?" Gandalf accused.

"Old man, I tire of you treating me as an incompetent being." Her voice was heavily laden with warning. "Last I saw of the elf, he was on a rock in a clearing not too far from here. I came back to go to sleep, and he remained. He most likely fell asleep in a tree somewhere."

"Why do you say that?" Merry asked.

"Say what?"

"That he's in a tree?"

"Because it is an elfish habit to find a tree to sleep in when one is too tired to make it back home, or to camp."

"Really?" All four of the hobbits perked their ears up as she mentioned the lifestyle of the elves. 

"Yes, really." Serein confirmed. 

"And how would you know that?" The group turned their heads and walking up to them was Legolas, a large smirk across his thin lips.

"How would I know that? How would I know that?" She mocked him. "It might be that I can read minds. Or perhaps I am simply a genius." Now her smirk grew.

"A genius? Spare us your hot air, fair maiden." He mocked. Her smirk dropped, her jaw following it. She stood there for a good minute, her mouth open in shock at his words. His smirk never fell, not once.

"Well then." She finally spoke. "Since Lord Prince Legolas has spoken, I believe I should abide by his will and 'spare' you all of my 'hot air.'" Turning around, she sat by the fire, sulking. His smirk finally dropped off.

"Come now Serein, I didn't mean it!" He begged her to listen to him. She turned the other way.

"Aragorn, what time did you say we should leave around if we wanted to put a good deal of distance between here and ourselves?" She asked, ignoring Legolas' plea. Aragorn was caught off guard.

"Soon, most likely." He answered in an undignified manner. 

"Then let us begin packing immediately." Gimli offered, trying to break the heavy mood.

"Yes, lets." The hobbits followed him to pack their things. Gandalf pulled Aragorn to the side for a private conversation, leaving Legolas and Serein at the fire.

"Serein, I was only joking. Elves have a reputation for joking. You yourself were joking. Don't be angry."

"I know I was joking. But you took it too far. And in front of everyone else. I have a hard enough time with Gandalf. But to lose respect with such people as Aragorn, Gimli and the hobbits would be too much."

"I didn't think…"

"No, you didn't."

"Now stop right there." He commanded, his voice growing darker. He lifted his arm and snaked it around her, then used his hand to force her to look in his direction. "Maybe I didn't think it would hurt you, but I did think. Your sulking about it will not do anything to help the matter. Stop trying to blame the whole thing on me."

"I'm not the one who fell asleep in the tree and came in late to breakfast, therefore worrying everyone of your companions, including me. Yes, I did worry when I didn't see you, but I brushed it off until everyone else noticed you were missing. And even then, when I assumed you had fallen asleep in a tree, I still worried. You should have returned here last night. It would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"Yes, I should have. But why would you worry for me?" He questioned her. He hadn't expected to here this from her.

"I worry for all on this journey." She stood quickly, evoking a gasp of pain. Her back. She had forgotten how tender it was, and she was sure sleeping on it on the hard and rocky ground the night before had not helped her much. 

"Are you alright?" He asked as he stood to stabilize her.

"Yes. A momentary lapse in memory is all. But I think the pain has sufficiently reminded me."

"Sit back down."

"No. I need to stand and pack. We should leave soon."

"It…" 

"Is important to pack." She cut him off and pulled her arm back from his grasp. Then she walked away from him as if nothing had just passed between the two, not even a good morning. Legolas simply stood in confusion. Then he felt a heavy hand clasp down upon his shoulder.

"She's quite a woman. But don't worry. They're all like that sometimes. Don't let her scare you away. If anything, push for it harder."

"Push for what?" Legolas questioned Aragorn, who seemed to know what he was speaking about. But Aragorn said nothing in reply. Instead he gave a short laugh and clapped Legolas' shoulder again. Then he turned and walked off.

The road was easy to follow, but the worry of coming across orcs kept their feet sodden with lead. North they headed, towards the great Mountain of Doom, where the one ring had once been forged out of all of the collective hatred in the world. 

"But even if we get there, won't there be a lot of orcs?" Pippin was questioning Gandalf again.

"Yes, more than you could ever hope to count."

"The how will we get the ring into the mountain?" Merry asked. 

"We will have to worry about that when we get there." Gimli stated. "We can't strategize for something we have no knowledge on."

"But with Frodo climbing the mountain, and only the other eight of us," Sam paused and looked at himself and the other two hobbits. Then he sized up the others, true fighters. "Well, alright, the five of you," the elves, humans, and dwarf grinned, "can't really hold off that many orcs, can you?" Sam asked concerned.

"We will if it comes to it. Our only desire is to let Frodo destroy the ring. If we must die to complete our quest, then so may it be." Serein answered.

"But the little ones do have a point." Gandalf muttered to himself. All talk then ceased until they broke for a mid-day break, and in the case of the hobbits, a mid-day meal. Gandalf, who had been silently speaking under his breath for hours, finally spoke.

"The hobbits are right. We cannot hold off so many orcs on our own and still help Frodo into the mountain. We will need help."

"Yes, but whom?" Legolas asked. 

"The dwarves would perhaps give it, but they alone would not be enough."

"Humans would give it, but they too would not be enough alone." 

"The same for elves." Gandalf searched the eyes of the dwarf, human, and elf that had become his friends on the quest. Then he grimly nodded.

"So then, we will need an alliance of the allies of good."

"Are you suggesting another War of the Ring?" Aragorn stood to look Gandalf in the eye.

"I am. It is the only way I can see."

"How will we get the men here?" Gimli asked.

"They can take the pass. Now that Saruman is no longer guarding it, and it is spring, the snow will have melted away enough for the men to go through. They could be here within three day's time."

"Why not send them directly to the base of Mount Doom? Have them gather there and when we arrive we will meet them there?" Legolas suggested. Throughout the whole conversation, Serein had remained quiet.

"I think it is a brilliant idea. But there is a flaw." She spoke, uncertainty wavering in her voice.

"And what might that be?" Gandalf asked.

"How will you inform these armies of each race what your idea is? How will you communicate with them?"

"That is easy enough." The old wizard reached for a pouch of leather attached at his hp. A light dust poured into his hand. "Now stand back." He warned them. Serein wrapped an arm each around Frodo and Pippin, and Legolas put his hands on her shoulders, as if to protect her. She looked up to acknowledge his presence, but no more. So she was still angry with him. His heart sank or a moment, then grew lighter again. He would just have to try harder to apologize.

Gandalf through the dust into the fire and the flames grew large and high with an unbearable heat as he muttered an enchantment of some sort. Within seconds, a miniature image of Elrond appeared in the flames. 

"Gandalf. News? Good I hope?" The image stated.

"A bit of both. Saruman in the southeast has fallen." The wizard told the elfin king.

"That is indeed good news. And the hobbits? What of them?"

"All four are here with us, in perfect health. All of us but Boromir are safe. I am sad to inform you of his brave fall in a battle with orcs." 

"That is indeed bad news. I shall relay it to his father. Was there something else?" Gandalf took a large breath and began to explain to Elrond of the idea of one last final stand by all the good allies. Elrond took to the idea at once.

"So we are to repeat the War of the Ring. Well then. I will call the other leaders and we shall assemble at Mount Doom in three days time. Good luck until then, my friends."

"And good luck to your, Lord Elrond." Gandalf stated. Then the image of Elrond faded into the flames, and the fire with its heat died down. All were quiet for a moment. 

"So then this will be it. This will be our last stand." Gimli said what all had been thinking. It was, indeed, to be their last and final fight. After the mid-day meal had been packed, the company once again began moving north.

At least they could move slower. Having to give the armies a little more time to get to the mountain, the Fellowship themselves was able to lessen their pace. The hobbits walked in pairs, two by two. The pair in front, Merry and Pippin, were shamelessly bothering Gandalf with questions. Frodo and Sam were speaking of a girl they had known in the Shire, and Gimli and Aragorn were speaking of Moria. Legolas and Serein found themselves bringing up the rear to the trail of travelers, and Serein was uncomfortable with the position. 

No, it was not uncomfortable being last, but being last with Legolas was a different story. The elf had desperately been trying to get her to speak to him for the last… well, all day. He chattered of the trees and the weather. She ignored him. Or tried to. But he was driving her mad.

"Legolas! " She finally cried in exasperation. "I forgive you." The rest of the Fellowship paused at her outburst and gave her a strange look. Legolas, though, looked pleased. She melted of embarrassment under their intense glares.

"Really?" He mocked her.

"Yes, really. Now stop speaking before my head bursts with confusion at all of your empty words!"

"Of course." He obliged her easily. They walked together in a comfortable silence for another few hours, occasionally speaking to each other, but for the most part avoiding words. Neither truly knew what to say, but each was concentrating on the other so much that they soon forgot speech.

Three days passed, and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. No orcs in sight, not one. Their nights were warmer and quiet. No substantial talk was said, only superficial things. It was their way of coping with the future that would soon lead to either a bigger future, or death. On the third day, Merry spotted a building through the trees.

"Look!" He called out.

"The Dark Lord's castle." Gimli muttered.

"Mount Doom." Aragorn stated. "Come. The army of the good allies will already be gathering for the attack." They quickened their pace, and soon reached the end of the forest. In front of them lay a barren waste land of rock, and beyond that their final destination.

"Halt! State your name in the name of good or evil!" A voice called to them. 

"Fear not, for we are on the side of the good allies! Please lower your weapons, we mean you no harm!" Aragorn called to the voice. 

"I have been told to watch for you. It is good to see you again Aragorn." An elf came into view.

"Haldir of Lothlorien." They acknowledged him with smiles. 

"Come, Elrond is waiting."*


	9. War Cries Sound

Chapter Nine: War Cries Sound

*The company made their way through the sea of people. Campfires and tents were set up, weapons were being sharpened, and men were preparing for a battle to end all battles. It took them almost five minutes, but soon enough the Fellowship caught sight of a familiar face.

"So the Fellowship has made it to Mount Doom." Elrond smiled as he looked upon the nine. They had come so far and done so many great things. It was hard for him to comprehend even for a second what the trials of their journey must have been. And now here they all were, tired and travel worn, yet ready to fight one last battle. 

"Yes, Lord Elrond, we have." Gandalf bowed his head in respect. 

"I see that Frodo still carries with him the ring. I am greatly in debt to you, halfling, for you have done us all a great service in carrying that ring here." 

"I will not say it was easy, but I have had the best of company along the way and am grateful for them." Frodo told Elrond. Elrond smiled.

"I see there are nine of you. Yet Gandalf told me Boromir had passed away. Has he come back from the dead?" Elrond asked, spying the unfamiliar figure with the Fellowship. 

Serein scowled. She had hoped he wouldn't notice her. She had even put her hood up to keep from being seen. Long ago, during the first War of the Ring, she had met with Elrond. In fact, he had been her father's brother. Her uncle. Yet If she revealed herself to him, she did not know how he would react. As far as she knew, he thought of her as dead, a lost soul within the legend of a dead elfin kingdom.

"No, he has not." Legolas responded. He would have spoken more, yet Serein placed her hand upon his shoulder to silence him.

"Lord Elrond. I have joined the Fellowship and am willing to lay my life down for our cause. I am prepared to fight. That is all that matters."

"Joined the Fellowship?" Elrond spoke, more to himself than to the others.

"I have proven myself worthy in battle before, and intend upon doing so again." She said, hoping he would then leave her be.

"You sound young for such an adventure. Why not drop your hood? You are among friends here." Elrond's interest was only further peeked.

"Elrond! The orcs are gathering at the base of the mountain!" A human called from a vantage point on a hill.

"It seems we have no more time for games. Have you plan in mind for getting Frodo to the inside core of the mountain?" Elrond asked.

"Myself and Gandalf will make sure he gets into the mountain personally. The rest of the Fellowship will join their race and fight." Aragorn stated commandingly. 

"What of us?" Sam cried out.

"You stay with the elves! They can protect you better than we can while we try for the mountain." Gandalf told them.

"But Master Frodo…"

"Will be fine Sam. Stay here with us." Serein placed her hand upon his shoulder and pulled him back. She did the same with Merry and Pippin. 

"Perhaps we should chance putting them in a tree for their safety during the fight?" Legolas toyed with the idea.

"No sir, not us!" Merry announced.

"Agreed! We fight!" Pippin drew his sword and mocked slashed with it a few times, bringing a brief smile to everyone's faces.

"Sam? Stay or hide?" 

"Stay. I'll fight for Mister Frodo then if I can't go with him."

"Very well." Elrond nodded.

"Elrond!" A familiar voice caught Legolas' sensitive ears. "Elrond! Have the Fellowship…" The voice dwindled as the person neared and saw that the Fellowship had indeed arrived. Elrond turned to the Fellowship.

"I don't believe you've all met Lord Thranduil, King of the elves of Mirkwood." 

"Legolas! Home from your quest so soon? I thought you wanted a lifetime of adventure. Yet it has only been six months and already you grow weary of it." Thranduil laughed good naturedly. Serein smiled. Legolas' sense of humor had come from his father, that much was for certain.

"Father." Legolas acknowledged his father in a slightly mocking tone. "It's nice to see you too." The Fellowship laughed.

"You will tell me f your travels later. Now we prepare for war." Thranduil's mood became serious.

"Is everything in order?" Elrond asked him.

"Yes. The humans are taking the center fold. To the left are the dwarves, axes, knives, and swords ready for battle, and to the right, our own battalion is ready. The archers are in position as well." Thranduil ticked of the list carefully, checking over his own words as he spoke them.

" Very well then. Fellowship, it is time. Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf, the best of luck to you. As for the rest of you, join your ranks and prepare for the battle to commence."

"Very well then. The dwarves are to the far left did you say? Then I must walk a deal first. Serein, because you go to join the humans, care to walk with me?" Gimli addressed her. 

"No." Her voice made the Fellowship turn. Slowly she lowered the midnight blue crushed velvet hood from her head and looked up. "I cannot." No one spoke for a moment. Then, very hesitantly, Pippin, forever curious, opened his mouth.

"Why not?"

"Because I do not belong with the humans."

"Serein?" Elrond whispered.

"Hello Uncle Elrond. It has been a while." She nodded to him grimly. So her secret was out.

"Uncle?" Spat Gimli.

"Serein." Elrond whispered again. "But you…"

"Yes, I know. Died in Haze four thousand years ago. Yet I am here now, so to the battle field I go once more, my sword drawn ready to strike once again at the evil of Sauron."

"Wait." Sam stopped them. "You two are related? But, that would make Serein an…"

"Yes, you can say it. I'm an elf." She pushed up her golden locks to reveal her pointed and sensitive ears. "I didn't think it was a catching disease, after all, if it was, would you have already caught it from Legolas?" She smirked slightly.

"Then all this time, where were you, my dear niece?" Elrond approached Serein and opened his arms to envelope her in a hug. She did not return it at first, but after a few moments, she gave a light squeeze in response. 

"My whereabouts are a long tale, one I hope to live to tell. But not here, and now. Later, after this battle has been won."

"Don't be so over confident." Aragorn said quietly. If she was Elrond's niece, did it make her his adopted cousin?

"I am not being over confident, I am being positive. I lived through the first War of the Ring quite well, and intend to live through the second one as well."

"You're that old?" Merry gasped in shock.

"I am, and older." She laughed slightly. Then she straightened and sighed. "Come now, the battle draws near."

"She is right." Thranduil nodded. He did not know the full story, but could assume the others had though her to be human throughout their journey. What a shock it would have been for him as well.

"Very well then." Elrond said and rode off to speak to someone. Gimli nodded, and left for his part of the battle field. The hobbits stood with their back to a tree, one in which three archers stood and served as cover fire just in case.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Legolas came up from behind Serein. She turned around in shock.

"Everyone assumed. I figured it was easier to let them assume."

"Serein. Where are you from? Not Mirkwood, and I would have remembered you at Rivendell- you would have captivated me instantly there. But then you are not from Lothlorien either. So then, where…?"

"Captivated you? Me? Somehow I do not understand what you mean when you say that." She left her eyes diverted, yet looked upon his face out of the corners of them.

"Never mind." Legolas blushed. "What I meant was, where did you come from? And why did you not tell me you were an elf?"

"Can we please discuss this matter later?" She asked him, blowing him off.

"Serein!" Legolas called her name more forcefully. This time she looked up with something in her eyes that Legolas couldn't identify. He worried for her. She looked as if she was planning something rash.

Thranduil watched the interlude and recognized something in his son's eye. Something that he had never seen in them. His son seemed different, that was for sure. More mature, and dare he hope, worried for the maiden who had joined them? Nodding, he continued to watch the two together. The real question had yet to be answered. No matter where she was from, was she a person worthy for his son's care?

"Legolas, please, not now. I promise to tell you everything after the battle. But for now, allow me to concentrate?" She begged. She did not want to go into this right now. She saw him sigh and knew what his answer would be.

"Very well then. But don't you dare get yourself killed during this battle! I want to know everything, and if your dead, you can't tell me!" He smirked. She smirked back.

"Deal." Suddenly a wave of silence filled the air. Elrond rode to the center of the battle field. The orcs began coming their way. Serein drew her sword, Legolas climbed a tree and readied his bow. The horn of Gondor blew, and the archers let their arrows sore. Through the sky like a rain of death, the arrows rained, striking down the first wave of orcs. 

The archers reloaded, but the orcs had already made their way into the good allied army and initiated hand to hand combat. Serein faced her first orc. A smaller one, he snarled and slobbered. Then he pounced for her. Ripping at her flesh with his claws, she managed to connect her elbow with it's skull. She then kicked it in the face and drew her sword to finish the job. One after another came.

Nothing changed for the first twenty minutes of the fight. The orcs began to lessen, as did the numbers of the allies. Humans were falling, elves dying, dwarves were being struck down. The allies that had once been separated by race soon mixed. An elf saved the life of a dwarf, a dwarf saved a human, and the human saved an elf. A cycle began to be seen throughout the battle field. Instead of the elves and dwarves bickering, they fought side by side. The war had not only stopped their enemy Sauron, but stopped each other from being enemies as well. Middle-Earth cried, and rejoiced. It had taken a war of immense proportion to bring together the feuding races. 

But soon the joy wore off. Bodies littered the field. Blood smeared upon all of the fighters. The orcs were numerous and never lost their energy, but the allied of good were slowly tiring. The soldiers began to make sloppy mistakes, forgetting to keep guard and the left while striking on the right, not looking behind themselves. And the orcs slowly picked them off. 

Serein stood brushing beads of sweat from her forehead. Blood smeared on her cheek, and her tunic was soaked. Her hair was disheveled and a few places it had been cut down. But she kept fighting. An orc rushed her. She drew her sword. The metal clashed. First a half crescent, then a full crescent, and a backwards crescent straight into the blackened heart of the orc. For good measure, she pushed the sword in deeper, then with much effort, pulled it out and in one fowl swoop, severed the head of the orc from the body she had just pierced. The head of the dead orc fell to the ground and rolled for a bit, stopping and just looking at her with cold, black, dead eyes. The body fell, crumpling to the side soon after. One less orc. 

The battle noise dimmed and all around her she watched the others fight, as if in a haze of mist where the enemy could not see her, yet she could see them. Men fighting, screaming as they were sliced down. Orcs grunting as they fought. Clashing of the metal upon metal. She could hear the flesh rip and bone crunch as she watched a dwarf rip an ax through the skull of an orc. All around her the darkness called. She turned around and saw that an orc had snuck up behind her while she had been in her haze. The orc lifted his arms to strike, and she breathed a pray to Valor that if this was the end, at least Elrond would send people looking for her lost kingdom, thinking perhaps it still lived.

"Serein!" A battle worn voice cried. She waited for the orc to strike. The deadly blow never came. Opening her eyes, she saw that before her stood the orc, head lolled to one side, a look of pure agony etched into its face. Through the throat of the vile creature protruded a single arrow. 

"Legolas." She breathed. Turning around, she could see his form making its way through the fighters towards her. He reached her and stopped.

"Are you alright?" He breathed. She spoke not, but nodded. Then she raised her sword. "Serein?" He asked out of confusion. She advanced on him quickly, and he just stood still. Was she truly going to kill him? He heard her cry out in frustration and push him to the side. Her sword delved deep into the stomach of an orc that had slipped up behind him. 

Breathing heavily, she retracted her sword and looked at the blade. It was no longer silver, but forever stained black with the tainted blood of the orc. New, black blood dripped from the blade.

"I should be asking if your alright?" She smirked at him. He looked at her stunned, then smirked as well. 

"You have talent." He nodded.

"As do you. And a good eye." He watched her eyes as they surveyed the scene. 

"Go back to your tree, you were safer up there." She told him. 

"I believe I could be of better use down here now. I can't aim with so many people in the way."

"You did for me."

"I had a reason." Their eyes met in the heat of the battle. But Serein could not stand the heat that his gaze radiated and was forced to tear her eyes away. 

"Come then. Draw your sword and fight." She told him. He nodded, and soon the two were fighting, back to back. 

A great light shot up into the blackened sky and a for a moment the battle paused, so that all could make sense of what the true battle was. Serein and Legolas stood next to each other, searching for the source of the light. They gazed out over the horizon and found Gandalf was perched on a rock outcropping, arms raised to the sky, chanting his magic over the mountain. Their elfish ears picked up his voice as the wind carried it over towards them.

"Yenillor morne tuliante I quettar tercano! Tiro el eria e mor mornie alantie!" He chanted in elfish an old spell that many had long since forgotten. 

"What is he saying?" The two elves looked over and found Gimli had made his way to them as well.

" 'Out of the black years come the words, the herald of death. Look, a star rises out of the darkness, darkness had fallen.'" Serein murmured, listening to his words as he repeated them over and over.

"What does that rubbish mean?" Legolas almost smiled over his friend.

"Its an old elfin spell. No one has used it in over four centuries." He told Gimli.

"What is it's purpose?"

"It will help to keep the Dark Lord from catching Frodo. Gandalf is blinding Sauron's eye. But it will not be enough on its own…" Serein mumbled.

"She's right." Legolas said. "Gandalf is too tired from his physical battle, he doesn't have the strength to hold the spell for long. And when he drops it, Sauron will be able to find Frodo. The ring will be as good as in his hands!"

"Can we help him?" Pippin asked. The hobbits, too, it seemed, had made their way through the heavy fighting over to the Fellowship. They had overheard what Legolas and Serein had said of Gandalf and his spell.

"No. Unless we know any magic, we cannot help him in his spell." Legolas stated. His comment made the wheels in Serein's mind begin to turn. She herself had no magical power, but the Gemstone of Haze was a powerful magical trinket. Perhaps if she added it to Gandalf's power, it would amplify his. Wait, this was the through if a mad person! She had risked her life to re-steal the Gemstone so she could save her home, her kingdom and her people, not these people! But if she helped Gandalf, she would be in turn helping her own home too, just more indirectly. But her kingdom needed the trinket… but the whole of Middle-Earth needed it… but her kingdom…

"Serein? Serein? Where are you going? Serein!" Legolas shouted to her as she raced through fights and dodged weapons and arrows. 

"What does that fool of an elf think she's going to do now?" Gimli yelled.

"Where's my niece going?" Elrond yelled as he and Thranduil joined them.

"We don't know, she just up and took off." Merry told them.

"Serein!" Legolas was fed up with calling to her. "Gimli, come on! She'll get herself killed the way she's running! Let's go!"

"Right." The elf and dwarf took off after the seemingly possessed elfin woman.*

~~~Oh! It's really heating up now! Don't you just wish you knew what was going to happen? Review and find out!~~~


	10. Into the Fire We Walk

Chapter Ten: Into the Fire We Walk

*She raced on, knowing full well that she had an elf and a dwarf hot on her trail. But she had to reach Gandalf before they reached her, that she knew. They would stop her from running and drag her back if they caught her. She didn't know why, but she knew she had to give Gandalf the Gemstone. 

The closer she became, the more orcs there seemed to be. The orcs were gathering at the base of the mountain around some indistinguishable figure. Because she was running, she did not have the time to spare to truly look at the figure, but as she raced on, she caught a glimpse of his heavy, black plated armor. Who was it that was so deserving of a such armor in Sauron's army? The figure then began ascending the mountain. 

Serein saw who it was at last. The dark lord himself, Sauron. And he was headed towards Frodo! She needed to hurry if she was to reach Gandalf in time to help him protect Frodo. But she didn't need to panic. Panicking never helped any one. But now it was of little consequence. She had almost reached Gandalf.

"Serein! Serein, wait!" Legolas had finally caught up to her. Grabbing her tunic, he yanked her down as she began to climb the out outcropping that Gandalf stood upon. 

"No! Legolas, let me go!" She yelped.

"Not until you tell me what has possessed you so! You nearly got yourself killed running here!"

"I did not! I wouldn't allow myself to die when so much is at stake. Besides, I made a promise to you I'd live, didn't I? I've never broken my oath before, and I don't intend on beginning now!"

"Then why try such a foolish run?" He yelled back.

"Because I need to help Gandalf! Now release me!"

"How can you help him? You are more needed on the battle field!"

"As are you! I need to give Gandalf something."

"But…" She silenced him by putting her hand over his mouth.

"Worry no longer. I will return to you." With that, she lifted her hand and slightly caressed his cheek. Then she roughly pulled away and began once again scrambling up the rocky mountainside. 

"Did you catch her? Why are you still just standing here?" Gimli huffed out of breath as he joined Legolas.

"I caught her. And I let her go." Legolas whispered.

"You let her go? Why? She'll be killed!"

"No. She promised to come back." With her simple oath engraved in his mind, Legolas turned to look at Gimli. What he saw was that orcs were nearing them. "Besides. We have problems of our own to deal with." Gimli looked around and nodded in agreement when he saw the orcs. He brought out his ax and prepared to fight. Legolas drew the short sword he carried and readied to use it in defense. As the orcs closed in and initiated the in combat, Serein climbed on, forever nearing her ultimate goal.

The air was getting thinner the higher she climbed, and the black soot falling from the mountain did not help. Still she pressed on. Gandalf was in sight now, only up a few more yards. Heaving herself up onto another platform of rock below Gandalf, she called up to him.

"Mithrandir!" Gandalf looked down at the petit woman on the rocks below him. Though he kept his magic flowing, he swore under his breath. What did that fool of a woman think she was doing?

"Mithrandir! I have something that will aid your magic!" She untied the small leather bag that was around her waste and held the gemstone up in the air. The colors of the gem were indefinable. A barrage of colors glowed within the small orb. Reds, yellows and oranges, pinks, greens, blues, and purples. All of the colors swirled and melted with one another within the gem. Gandalf's eyes widened ten fold.

"The Gemstone of Haze?" He watched as Serein nodded in confirmation. 

"Here! Use it to amplify your magic! It should be more than enough to shroud Frodo and Aragorn from Sauron!" She took one last look at the gemstone that had caused her to have so much trouble, et so much adventure. Just the quest to find the gem had given her back her life, and so much more. It would have done a great deal to help her kingdom, but she realized that if she didn't sacrifice it now, there would not even be ruins of her kingdom to go home to. But her dreams of that had been dashed. Letting the gemstone go was the best thing for now. She looked up to Gandalf, then tossed the gem up to him and watched.

The wizard threw the gem into the air and began muttering a spell. Soon the light he had been giving off was concentrated through the gem. No longer was the light white, though. It shown with the colors of the Gemstone of Haze. Such power emanated from the gem as none had ever seen. 

Inside the mountain, Aragorn stood, ready to face Sauron as the wicked creature that had forged the ring that had caused the war stepped up. Frodo was making his way through an intricate maze of paths and bridges to a place where he could throw the ring for it's destruction. 

Sauron drew his sword, and Aragorn readied his own. They clashed, and Aragorn was thrown to the floor. Sauron was stronger than he had ever dreamed. And now he was facing his greatest challenge. Aragorn watched out of the corner of his eye as small Frodo turned to watch the fight. He would not fail the hobbit, he would stay true to his oath. Aragorn raised his sword to block Sauron's and scrambled to his feet. 

"Go Frodo, run!" Aragorn cried out. The hobbit hesitated for a moment, then nodded to himself and flew down, over the bridges and to a deep ravine in which he could see lava. The heat was so intense he could barely breath. Suddenly a great light shown through the entrance to the mountain, and headed straight for him. Frodo ducked and closed his eyes, thinking it was a spell sent at him from Sauron. But when nothing happened, he opened his eyes. He was encased by a soft, multicolored glow. The ring's inscription shown brightly in the magic of the spell. Gandalf's magic! Frodo realized. Taking one last look at the ring and a deep breath, Frodo heaved the ring over the edge of the ravine and watched it slowly fall into the lava pits below. 

As Frodo launched the ring, Aragorn's mighty sword struck Sauron straight through the heart. The dark lord stopped. His grip on his massive sword failed him, and he dropped it. Aragorn only shoved the sword in deeper to finalize his kill. Frodo turned around to see the fallen dark lord. The ring had been destroyed, Sauron was dead. His evil could no longer harm them.

Outside the orc army stopped moving. They stood as statues might, in shock and horror. They knew their dark master had fallen. With little hesitance, the orc army turned tail and fled. The allies of the good stood still too, not knowing what their opponents were planning. But when it was obvious the orcs were retreating, slow shouts of victory and cries of happiness rang out. They had won! The Second War of the Ring had been a success!

Gandalf saw the orcs retreating and knew it was over. They had won. He dropped his hands, but the magic from his spell had not completely finished it's course. Without Gandalf to control it, the power expanded to quickly as it hit the gem. To much power went into the gem, and the beautiful Gemstone of Haze cracked. Slightly at first, then the crack grew bigger. Finally the whole gem split and disintegrated into crumbles of what had once been one of the most powerful magical artifacts ever known. Gandalf looked down at Serein. She had caught the fallen pieces of the gem. Tears were in the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry my dear." He said, for the first time truly meaning what he spoke to her.

"It is as I had thought would happen." She nodded. "It was so old and fragile, I knew it wouldn't last through your magic."

"Yet you gave it up anyway. A noble thing to do. Come, let us see if we can find the remainder of the Fellowship. If they have lived through this battle."

"I know they have. Right before I came to you I saw all of them but Frodo and Aragorn, and if the orcs have retreated, then Frodo and Aragorn must have succeeded as well." Gandalf smiled.

"Then the war is over?" Pippin questioned Elrond. The Fellowship, including Gimli and Legolas, and met at the base of the mountain. Sam, Merry, and Frodo were still hugging and laughing for joy. Aragorn was speaking contentedly with Gimli, Elrond and Thranduil. Legolas was looking for Serein and Gandalf, who had disappeared from the mountainside. 

"Yes, the Second War of the Ring has ended, with the allies of the good and free victorious." Thranduil smiled answering Pippin's question.

"And now Aragorn can take his rightful place as the King of Gondor." Elrond smiled broadly. Aragorn smiled as well.

"I suppose so." He replied.

"What of Gandalf?" Frodo asked. "He helped me in there, I know he did."

"Quite right my boy, quite right." Gandalf said, stepping down form the mountain, Serein helping him. 

"Serein!" Elrond called, pleased his niece had survived yet another of the wars.

"Hello again." She nodded, a smile not gracing her face as it usually might.

"How did you do that to me Gandalf? Your spell worked very well." Frodo spoke to Gandalf.

"Serein gave me some help." All eyes turned to her, then back to Gandalf for an explanation. "She gave me the Gemstone of Haze, an ancient yet powerful magical artifact, and I used it to amplify my power. That is when you most likely felt my spell begin to help."

"You gave him the Gemstone of Haze?" Elrond said in shock. "What?"

"Yes. I did." She nodded gravely, revealing the blackened pieces of the once beautiful gem to him.

"Serein!" He gasped.

"I know. And I knew before I gave it up as well." She spoke regally. "Which way did the orcs head?" She asked.

"North I believe, towards the Dead Marshes." 

"As I feared. Have you a horse I may borrow? I will never reach Haze otherwise." She asked Elrond, all others forgotten.

"Haze?" Legolas and Thranduil questioned together. 

"It is a mythical place, Serein, you cannot reach it." Legolas said concerned.

"I came from that mythical place, Legolas. And as the Queen of that mythical place, I dare not leave my brother to rule alone for long, especially when orcs head straight for it. I must return home."

"You left Nero in charge? Then you must not worry too much Serein, he is a good boy, once his temper is in check…" 

"Uncle, you have no idea what has happened in the last three thousand years in Haze. Why do you think we have become such a myth? Never mind the tale is for a later time. A horse, please?" She begged.

"Of course." Elrond called to another elf, who ran to fetch him a horse.

"Serein, you're from a place that doesn't exist?" Sam asked with wonderment in his voice. The other elf brought her the choice of two horses. She quickly mounted one and pulled up her cloak's hood. Rain had begun to fall. Lightly at first, then more heavily. But she would not let it stop her. Wheeling her horse around in the direction she was about to head, she sighed.

"My kingdom exists. But we only hang on by a thread, a thin strand. I must return before that thread is severed and my people are lost forever." With that, she urged her horse into a gallop and speed off into the horizon.

"Legolas." Elrond spoke solemnly. "I beg of you, go after her. She does not even have the Gemstone of Haze to protect her anymore. She needs someone to talk some sense into her, to bring her back form the fantasy world she lives in."

"She only thinks Haze exists?" Legolas asked.

"No, it lives. But she thinks she will be able to save it. The truth is that Haze is beyond all hope. She simply cannot see the truth- she is blinded by her love for her home."

"I will bring her back safely, I assure you." With that, Legolas gave his father a nod. Thranduil caught his son's eyes for a moment. Then Legolas wished his friends a quick farewell and mounted the other horse that had been brought. He urged the horse to move, at a full gallop. He had to catch Serein.*


	11. Playing House

Chapter Eleven: Playing House

*She could hear another horse's hoof beats following her and sighed. It was Just as well that her Uncle had sent someone after her. Who though? Surely not one of the hobbits or Gimli. More than likely it was either Aragorn or Legolas. Though she was glad she would have company on her journey, she also worried on what her companion would say. Well, no matter, she would have to address the issue as it came up. Her horse was now tiring quickly, she could tell by it's heavy breathing and sweaty flank. Slowing the horse, she decided to let the other person catch up, and then they could continue on hard.

Legolas heard Serein's horse slow to a slight canter, and knew she was only waiting for him to catch up. So instead of taking advantage of her gracious pace, he slowed as well. Though she would be mad he hadn't caught up to her as quickly as he could have, his horse would be rested for whenever she decided they needed to ride hard. And in this case with Serein, most likely the minute she greeted him she would break into a full gallop once more.

Soon enough Serein stopped her horse all together. Legolas, she was sure now, was the other rider her Uncle had sent after her. Only Legolas would have the nerve to go so slowly when he knew she was merely waiting for him to catch up. A few moments after she had stopped, Legolas' horse trotted into view.

"You're slow for an elf, did you know that?" She smirked.

"Me slow?" His expression was filled with false shock. 

"You're a character." She told him, wheeling her horse around.

"So you've told me before. Tell me, will we be stopping tonight? I need to speak to you before we go jumping into anything rash. Besides, we just finished a battle. Aren't you the least bit tired and sore. You're back ache?"

"I never act before I think." She told him.

"So I've noticed. But that isn't the point."

"Very well. Tonight we will make camp to speak and rest." She squirmed on the horse. "And yes, my back is killing me." He grinned and turned his horse to follow her. They rode for another four hours. 

But by then it was so dark that they had to stop. If they had continued in the dark, then their horses could have stumbled over a branch or low tree stump and injured themselves. That would be a major set back. Legolas made a fire and Serein pulled out a couple of apples. Then as they ate, he checked her back and re-applied medication to it. The cuts still bled slightly, but for the most part he could see a vast improvement in them.

"It's so quiet without the hobbits." She muttered, flinching as he hit a sore place. 

"I know. I miss them. I've been traveling with them since the beginning of this year."

"That is indeed a long time to be on the road with someone." She stated calmly.

"Yes. You get to know your friends quite well. Tell me, how long have you been on the road?"

"I have been traveling since the first month of spring. I think." She told him quietly.

"You don't know?"

"It's a long story."

"You promised to tell me before the battle anyway. Why not begin you tale now?"

"Very well." She gulped and silently prayed for everything to go smoothly. "My name is Serein, as you know. But I am not Serein of Mirkwood, or of Lothlorien, or even Rivendell. My home is now spoke about only as a mythical kingdom which had fallen out of grace and died long ago. Part of that is true. My home is known as the Forest of Haze, and our great city of Haze have been around as long as the other elfin cities have. My father and mother were the King and Queen of the forest, and my twin brother and I were to co-rule when we came of age."

"You have a twin brother?"

"Yes. Though he looks nothing like me. He has hair the color of black coal, and green eyes that never look happy. When we were children, we were the best of friends. We loved each other and we loved playing. Then our mother became sick, and she died. After that, nothing was the same. Nero, my brother, just shut down to everything and everyone. It broke my father's heart, because he used to dote on Nero so much. We were only twenty when the first War of the Ring began. Orcs ravaged through our city constantly, and because we were so far from the other three elf- inhabited forests, we could not easily call them for help. Father went off to the final battle with nearly all of the men of our home. He took us with him and left his advisors in charge."

"Why did he take you with him?"

"He wanted us to meet our Uncle, his brother, King Elrond of Rivendell. But when we got to Rivendell, my father decided it wasn't safe to leave us there. He wanted to be able to supervise us personally. So he took us onto the battle field. We fought in the first War of the Ring. But while we lived, my father died. Nero, being his cold and calculating self, took what was left of our men home before we could meet with Elrond and decide upon what to do. Nero and I took over rule then. But our home was in great distress. The orcs had once again attacked while we had been gone. Water was drying in the rivers near us. No rain had come all year, and famine stuck us hard. We lost a great deal of people that winter, and the elves rebelled. I too, wanted changes. I wanted to contact Elrond for advice and help. I had thought him to be a wise and fair man who could council us through the dark days. But Nero wouldn't listen to me. He told me I was foolish for caring what would happen to the others in our kingdom. I knew we could not go on as we were. So I asked a few elves to ride to Rivendell without his consent. He found out, executed the elves, and locked me up for treason."

"Your own brother locked you up?"

"As much as I used to love him, I hate him for what he did to me. I was in a dungeon. For three thousand years I sat and waited. Then one day I heard a large noise. From my cell I saw orcs invading. One broke open the door for me, and I knocked it out. Then I ran to a hiding place. When my brother came in to look for me, he thought I had simply been taken by the orcs, just as they had stolen the Gemstone of Haze."

"So that is what we risked our lives for inside Saruman's tower? The Gemstone of Haze?"

"Yes. It was the only thing keeping our city alive. You see, the Gemstone was the one thing that kept the ever-present haze and mist in our woods. We were shielded from the eyes of Sauron by it. But Saruman knew that. He knew we had the powerful artifact. So he stole it, leaving our forest defenseless. That is why I need to get back there. Nero can fight, but not well enough to hold off that many orcs. And he certainly cannot raise and army, for if he does, they will turn on him after the orcs have been driven back. Civil war will rage and my home will be only broken more."

"Serein, you cannot save Haze on your own, as much as you wish you could. If it is so far gone that one raid will bring a civil war, then there is little you can do…"

"But I can help! I know I can! Listen. The elves, they don't know I'm alive, Legolas. They think I died long ago of the same sickness that took my mother. That is what Nero told them. They know I want to help them, they will remember me. I am sure of it. Then I can raise the army and hold off the orcs long enough to do something about Nero and his horrible lifestyle."

"No matter what advantages you have, you can't just expect the people to remember you Serein. Three thousand years is a long time for a missing Queen. How will they know it is you? Or how will they know they can trust you after all of the years have passed?"

"I do not know. Perhaps I am only wishing I did know how to help my kingdom. But I can't just sit and do nothing. Will you help me?"

"I will do anything in my power to help you."

"Thank you Legolas. My friend." She smiled a true and bright smile at him for the first time in two days.

"You're welcome, fair maiden. Now how about sleep? If we both climb a tree, we can both sleep without the need to keep watch."

"What of the horses?"

"Don't think so much." He laughed.

"I cannot help it." They put out the fire and each climbed a tree. Finding a snug place to sit, one in which her back would not rub so hard against the trunk of the tree, Serein settled down for a needed sleep. Legolas too, found a niche in a tree that was comfortable and settled in for a long night. 

It was well past midnight, but dawn was still a far way off. Legolas woke to hear screams and pain-filled cries. He looked over and saw Serein thrashing about in her sleep. He quickly jumped to her and put his arms around her. 

"Serein, Serein wake up." He implored her.

"No! Please no! No!" She cried again and again. She finally flew up straight and sat, breathing hard and drenched in a sticky sweat. Her bangs were matted to her forehead, slightly obstructing her vision. Suddenly a pair of string and warm arms encircled her waist and pulled her back. She rested her head upon Legolas' chest and breathed.

"Alright?" He asked concerned.

"It was only a nightmare. Only a nightmare."

"Tell me of what."

"The faces of those whom I had known, both in the past and now. Only it was just their faces."

"Just their faces? That doesn't sound too bad."

"When I say just their faces, I mean it was their heads, decapitated from the rest of them. They were bloodied and hanging from the ceiling in my room. And the entire of the Forest of Haze was on fire, burning down." She shuddered, and Legolas pulled her in closer and kissed her forehead.

"But it was only a dream." He muttered.

"Yes, only a dream." She repeated. Soon her eyelids felt like lead. She relaxed and closed her eyes, listening to the strong heartbeat of the elf who had helped her so much. He was truly a good elf, trustworthy, compassionate, handsome, everything she had always dreamed… And Serein was asleep.

Legolas knew Serein was finally asleep because her eyes had shut and her breathing had become constant. He smiled down upon the poor girl he held in his arms. She was older than him by two thousand years, yet he felt as if she were younger than him. She had been through so much that all he wanted to do was take her far away from here and let her forget about her responsibilities and duties. But he knew she would never agree to it. She cared more about the welfare of her friends and people than she did for herself. That was dangerous… he would have to watch her more closely from now on… and Legolas was asleep.

The next morning, though it was gray and over cast, was pleasant for the two elves. As they awoke in the tree wrapped in each other's arms, they said nothing. It was slightly uncomfortable at first, and neither really knew how to break the silence. But finally Legolas stood and jumped down from the tree. 

"Hungry?"

"Yes. I believe there are more apples in my bag…"

"I was thinking of game. I wouldn't mind hunting us a rabbit if you think we could wait to leave an extra hour or so."

"I would rather us leave now…" She looked around at Legolas, then the horses, and finally down at herself. "But I think that perhaps we should leave a bit later this morning. I think we should water the horses and get a good meal before we go off to slay more orcs."

"Good decision." Legolas grinned.

"I thought so. Well? Why are you just standing there? Go hunt us that rabbit!" She mock ordered him.

"As the maiden wishes." He joked. Then gathering his bows and arrows, he took off.

"And be careful!" She called after him. After she had rekindled the fire, she untied the horses from their ties and lead them towards the river that was nearby. Retying them closer to the water so they could drink as they pleased, she dripped her hands into the water and washed them thoroughly. Dried orc blood was still caked on them from the battle yesterday. In fact, the whole of her was caked in blood. She had not bathed since Saruman's town had fallen. That had been three days ago, and since then she had done the dirtiest work she had ever done before. 

Though the river was cold, she paid no head in stripping to her underwear and diving in. Rubbing her arms vigorously, she scrapped the blood off. She did the same to her legs, neck, and tried as best she could to do so to her back as well. She also ducked under and scrubbed her long golden hair till she felt it was as clean as she would get it without soap.

Finally feeling clean and very refreshed, she got out and looked at her clothes. They were so stained she couldn't tell they had once been a grass green. Hoping Legolas was still busy catching that rabbit, she nimbly raced back to their campsite to her pack, which she knew held an extra dress. Seeing no Legolas, she quickly pulled the new dress out and slipped it on. Shaking out her crushed blue velvet cloak, she threw it around her shoulders and then preceeded to sit and brush her hair as best she could. Leaving it completely down, she finally relaxed. Fetching the horses from the river, she sat by the fire and waited for Legolas to return.

"Serein, here's that rabbit!" He announced as he walked into camp.

"Good. Took you long enough. Hand it to me so I can start it cooking, I'm hungry."

"You're hungry, I'm the one doing the physical activity here!" He handed her the rabbit.

"Yes, but I did more yesterday." 

"I doubt it." He snorted. 

"Well, I 'm just hungry, alright?" Legolas stood behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. He realized her hair was slightly damp to the touch. And her skin was pristine white.

"Did you fall in the river?" He asked amused.

"For your information," She stood and turned around to face him. "I decided to at least try to clean up while you were gone. After all, I don't want to smell like you do, like sweat and orc blood." She smirked. He watched her face light up with amusement. Her skin was so pale when it was clean, he realized. She had the looks of a beautiful but innocent elfin maiden. But he was sure she was all but innocent. He remembered the first time he had met her; she had looked just the same, her defenses slightly raised, and her eyes dancing with something he did not recognize. But this time she was clean. Without the orc blood to hide her features, he was left astounded. 

"Legolas?" She breathed and waved her hand in front of his face. He caught it and held onto it smirking.

"Thank you for the compliment on my hygiene, fair maiden. I will not forget it."

"You are too much!" She cried in exasperation.

"I know. But I think I will go down to that river and at least wash my hands and face. No peeking!" She gasped and a deep red flushed through her white cheeks.

"I would never…!" She began. He just laughed hard and strode down towards the river. Never would he forget her face at that moment. Though she was not innocent, she even acted as though she was. Serein was filling his mind… he knew she was poisoning him slowly… and he didn't care either way.

When Legolas returned from the river, he was completely clean and wore a new set of clothes. He sat down and combed out his hair, muttering to himself the whole while.

"Fell in washing your face, didn't you?" Serein teased him. He frowned. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Except maybe Pippin and Merry…" She smirked He looked at her and glared. 

"How's the rabbit?" He asked.

"It's dead. How would you feel?" She toyed with him. If looks could kill, she'd be dead. "Oh come now Legolas! Please don't be angry! It's roasting on the spit as we speak!" She laughed. He certainly didn't see what was so funny. Serein was trying separately to think of a way to cheer him up. But she could think of none. She hadn't had to cheer anyone up for so long she had forgotten how. Instead, she sat next to him and placed her head upon his shoulder. 

Legolas' jaw dropped slightly. What was she thinking? A few seconds ago she had been teasing him mercilessly, but now she was laying her head on his shoulder. An interesting change. He snaked his arm around her back and pulled her in closer as they waited for the rabbit. 

Serein had been mildly surprised at Legolas' arm, but she didn't mind. His arm was comforting, and as the gray day was becoming colder it kept her warm. Feeling an incredible tranquility wash over her, she soon relaxed and sighed. Her mind wandered to their new quest, if she could even call it that.

They would have to move out soon though, if they wanted to beat the orcs. Though she and Legolas were taking a straight path to Haze, the orcs were taking a roundabout route. But they would eventually have to go through Haze if they wanted to ransack important places like Rivendell and Mirkwood. That was why she and Legolas had to make good time. What little time they had between the time they arrived and the orcs came would be needed to build up defenses.

"Serein?" He had called her four times already. He wondered if she had fallen asleep with her eyes open. Then her eyes blinked and she moved. Maybe not…

"What?"

"That rabbit's done."

"Good." She stood. "We need to eat quickly and leave. The Forest of Haze can't wait for us forever."*


	12. Ruins of a Crumbling City

Chapter Twelve: Ruins of a Crumbling City

*Their horses ran as swiftly as they could through the dense foliage. But forever the two elves continued urging them to go faster, for they were in a race against time. Never slowing, the horses ran as their riders told them to until the female rider pulled her horse to a halt.

"What's wrong Serein?"

"Nothing. This place is usually so dense with haze and mist you can hardly see three feet in front of you. But now… now the sunlight brightens it so much I hardly recognize it."

"The sunlight can be a good thing too."

"Not for my home, Legolas. My home should be shrouded in the haze. Otherwise it is not truly my home. But because I have destroyed the Gemstone of Haze, my home will never be as it was, never be my true home again."

"Your home is anywhere you choose it to be. Just because you live in a place does not make it home. Home is where those who care for you are near you."

"Then this was once my home. And I still have the obligation to it." Legolas grimly nodded. 

"But is it still your home?" He asked her. She sat still and quiet for a moment.

"I have no home any longer. But I still have hopes that my home will one day be this place once more."

"And what if it is not? Would you be terribly heart broken?" Legolas pushed quietly. 

"Come. Haze is this way." Without answering his question, she turned her horse to the left and directed it to begin galloping once more in the new direction. 

After more two days of riding, the pair finally caught sight of the first elves they had seen since they had left the battlefields of the Second War of the Ring. But the elves hid seeing them. Serein glowered in angry over this. What had her brother done to make elves fear their own kind so much? She knew visitors were not often welcomed here, but there was still no reason for the elves to have hidden from them, especially from other elves. 

Suddenly, out of the middle of the forest a towering citadel came into view. It stood on a cleft of a high ravine wall. Legolas looked up. He could easily tell that in its day it had been a magnificent palace with polished white stone walls and grand turrets. But now the walls were gray and dingy. The turrets looked to be nearly toppled over, and the entire building was shoddy and in dire need of repair. Windows remained broken, unfixed for probably a long time. He wondered how anyone could live in the deathtrap.

"There it is Legolas, my home." She gave a short laugh. "Would you believe that at one point, long ago, this place could rival the castle in Rivendell in beauty? But now look at it. Such a waste."

"It can be rebuilt." He pointed out.

"But that will take work, and much time. Time is one thing we run short on at the moment. We shall have to wait to rebuild and renovate my home."

"Halt! Speak your names and business!" A deep voice called from the top of the tower. Looking up, Serein could see her brother had not been as half witted as she had thought him to be. He had at least warned the sentry guards to be on closer look out. She opened her mouth to answer, but Legolas gently touched her arm, alerting her that he would answer.

"I am Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood. I come in search of an audience with King Nero of the elves of Haze." The guard appeared to be skeptical.

"We do not welcome outsiders here in the Forest of Haze."

"I know, and I am sorry to trespass, but my news for your king is urgent." The elf turned around to converse with one of his fellow sentries, then answered.

"Very well. Wait where you are and someone will escort you and your servant to see the king."

"Servant indeed." Serein muttered. Her brother had done a wonderful job brainwashing their people of their memories of her.

"Hush Serein. They don't know any better." Legolas told her under his breath.

"Do not tell me when to hold my tongue. I have lived longer, and would know more." He smiled at her remark.

"You don't truly believe that, and neither do I. But I think it is safer for you not to be pert in front of a man who kept you locked away for three thousand years out of greed for power."

"Safe? He'll be the one in need of safety when I'm through with him. Besides. I have you on my side." He laughed.

"I can't fight an army Serein."

"Of course not. But with my help you can." She said proudly. They both looked at each other and smiled.

"Even still…" He replied through their laughter.

"If you are so worried about me being recognized before it is too soon, I will put my hood up." She placed her hood upon her head, making sure to hide all of her honey colored locks and most of her face. "How's this?"

"You, I believe, are the character now." Then the large wooden gates in front of them opened and their smiles were forgotten. They dismounted their horses and walked up.

As they walked through the gates, four guards joined them. Two lead them forward, while two took care to walk behind them. Serein's heart broke as she looked out over the courtyard. The flowers had been long since over grown with weeds. The fountain in the center had dried of all its crystalline water, and there were no birds or animals of any kind. Everything, including the elves, looked dead to the world. They had become mere shells of their former selves.

"The king is right this way." One of the guards spoke, leading them into giant doors hewn of black obsidian and trimmed with white ivory. Through the doors lay an empty hall. The windows on the sides had all been shattered, colored glass lay on the floor unswept and encrusted with grit. The long crushed red carpet they stood on was filled with stains and dust. And at the very end of the hall were two large chairs, one entirely carved of black obsidian, the other of pure white ivory. Only around ten elves stood on either sides of the chairs, bit in the large black chair sat a tall and dark figure. 

The figure did not bother to stand and greet his guest, the normal custom in elfin tradition. Instead, he continued to sit, though he did straighten his back slightly. An elf approached him and served him a goblet of gold. Raising his glass, as if to toast to his visitors, the figure laughed, then drank heartily of the liquid.

"So, Prince Legolas of Mirkwood has made the journey to the place of myth, the Forest of Haze. I suppose you were expecting a grand castle? A bath and new change of clothes? A welcoming feast? You'll get none of that here. You might as well turn around and leave. As you may have noticed, we do not like visitors here in our woods." Legolas, slightly taken back, showed none of his surprise in his answer.

"My envoy and I expected nothing from you. We came to inform you of a battle that has taken place to the south east of here."

"Did you? What battle was so grand your father decided to finally include Haze in his business?" Nero sneered sarcastically.

"Did you know the one ring of power had been found once more?" Gasps from the surrounding elves resounded in the almost empty room. But Nero smirked.

"So that is why the orcs have suddenly gained such a backbone that they would attack us once more." Nero smirked.

"Yes. But there is more."

"Oh? Go on then. Speak Prince of Mirkwood, and tell us all you have to say."

"The wizard Saruman the White had fallen to the dark power. But he has since been destroyed by the wizard Gandalf the Gray, Mithrandir to the elfin world."

"Yes, I have heard of the wizard Mithrandir. Was there more?"

"I was one of the Fellowship, sir. We were the group that took the ring back to the place where it was forged, Mount Doom. There we had a last stand, the allies of the good versus Sauron and his orcs. The dwarves, elves, and humans banned together and fought the Second War of the Ring."

"Another War of the Ring?" Now Nero stood, his face white with fear.

"Indeed. And we, the allies of the good and free, have won. The ring was thrown back whence it came, into the fires of Mount Doom. Sauron has been slain, and his orc army pushed back."

"Then it is a happy day indeed." Nero announced, color and smirk returning to his face.

"I am sorry to reply, it is not. The orc army that was pushed back headed north, towards the Dead Marshes. But when they get brave enough and power-hungry enough, they will return in full force."

"That is bad news. But why have you come here to relay all of this to us? As you know, we are considered to be a mythical place. The orcs will not attack here." There was some coughing in the audience, and Nero shot a deadly glare towards those whom had coughed.

"I have come to tell you. When the orcs wish to return to raid those places not considered to be legendary, they will first have to come through the Forest of Haze. And when they come, they will ransack you unless you are prepared to make a last stand and hold them off."

"How will they find us? The mists and haze will hide us. After all, that is why we still thrive here now, due to the cover of the haze." Legolas heard Serein softly groan and mutter under her breath. It was obvious she didn't think highly of her brother's boasting.

" But to create the haze that protects you, do you not need the Gemstone of Haze? And was that not stolen in the last raid of the orcs?" Legolas asked. Nero stuttered, wondering how Legolas had found that out. He had not told anyone.

"You, Prince Legolas, are mistaken." Another elf stepped forward. "The Gemstone of Haze sits where it has for the last five thousand years as we speak."

"Does it?" Serein muttered loud enough for them all to here.

"Of course it does." The other elf stated.

"Is he correct, Lord Nero, in believing the Gemstone of Haze is still safe here?" Legolas pressed. Nero looked as if he was weighing the consequences for a brief second. Then he spoke.

"What Prince Legolas says is true. The Gemstone was stolen in the last raid." More talk and angry shouts from the quickly growing crowd of elves. Nero shifted uncomfortably. "Have you come here solely to insult my kingdom, Prince of Mirkwood? Is that why the other elves have only now begun to take interest in my kingdom?"

"With all due respect, sir. You first claim visitors are unwelcome here. But then you complain of not being included in other elfin business. Is that not an oxymoron?" Nero glared at the hooded figure that had just spoken. Then he turned his attention to Legolas.

"You would do well to keep your servants in line. And teach that one in particular to hold his tongue." Legolas began to respond, but this time it was Serein who signaled that she would respond.

"I am not the servant of Prince Legolas." She slowly lifted her hood and dropped it. Her blonde hair spilled out over her shoulders and she looked up with dignity to meet her brother's cold and cynical glare. "I am your own sister, the Queen of this realm. Dare you tell me to hold my tongue, Nero?" Her voice challenged him to speak against her. The a hush swept over the crowd.

"Serein?" Nero whispered.

"Yes." She nodded, then stopped, unsure of what else to say to her brother, the man whom had locked her away for the majority of her lifetime.

"King Nero, I bring home to you your sister, and she brings with her a great deal of knowledge." Legolas slightly grinned to himself, knowing full well what sort of knowledge Serein had.

"Serein! But you were kidnapped during the last orc raid…" Nero was still in shock. 

"Nero, dear brother, you look as if you've seen a ghost." Serein taunted him. Another elf stepped forward and bowed his head in reverence. 

"My Queen, we have. You have been long though of as dead to us." The elf said. Serein cupped his cheek in her hand, and forced him to look up at her. She smiled at him.

"I know, and for that I am sorry. But I could not help it, though I wished to." She answered him.

"Then, my Queen, what has kept you away?" The elf asked.

"I will tell you, but first, you look familiar. Did I once know you?"

"My Lady, I was a good friend to your mother. I am known as Minder." 

"Yes, now I remember you. You taught my mother knives."

"Yes. Now tell us, my Queen, what has kept you away for so long that we had given up hope of you being alive?"

"Why, your king and my dear brother did. Or did you all not know that I was imprisoned only below your feet for three thousand years?" She asked, seemingly innocent. She and Legolas both heard Nero gulp.

"You were… imprisoned? Here? By our King, your brother?" 

"Indeed. During the last orc raid I was finally let out, by an unsuspecting orc. I escaped and made my way to Saruman the White's Dark Tower or Isengard. I had heard Nero speak to himself of the Gemstone of Haze missing and knew that to help my kingdom, before I could do anything, I would need to recover the stolen gem. I made my way on foot alone until I joined company with two hobbits. With them I traveled until I made it over the mountains and to Isengard. But that is a tale for another time. We truly haven't much time to prepare for the orc attack."

"You say you left here, dear sister, to recover the Gemstone of Haze. If you are back and Isengard had fallen, then have you succeeded in your quest?" Nero sneered. Serein hung her head. 

"We did indeed recover the Gemstone of Haze." Legolas answered for her. "But it can no longer be used."

"No longer be used?" Murmured the crowd. Serein dug into her pouch for the broken pieces. 

"I gave it to Mithrandir to amplify his power during the Second War of the Rings. He needed it in order to protect the ring barer from Sauron's eye. It indeed worked, for the ring has been destroyed. But too much power flowed through the gem, and it was so old and brittle it could do no less than crack and break after the spell had been fulfilled." She explained, revealing the blackened pieces to everyone.

"Then you have destroyed our only hope for survival!" Nero accused.

"No! She has saved you all!" Legolas countered. "As soon as the War was over and we had driven back the orcs, she jumped on a horse and rode as quickly as she could to get here to warn you of the orc army and help you prepare for them. She was reluctant to stop for me to even look at her wounds, which are quite severe."

"Legolas…" She muttered embarrassed.

"Just because she has given us warning does not mean we will be saved!"

"And just because you kept me locked up for three thousand years does not mean I have no power here! I have returned to help save my home. Look around us Nero! Our people, our society and lifestyle are dying because you have not had the inclination to help your people rebuild after devastating attacks! You are more worried about your vanity than your people!"

"I care! Otherwise I would not have allowed you to enter in the first place! A thousand years ago I would have slain outsiders without a second thought, but now…"

"Now you are a weak elf who does nothing but sit and drink spirits all day! And, of course, you used to get quite a rise out of tormenting me when I was in that dungeon of yours! Tell them, brother! Tell them what you used to tell me! About how they are foolish and weak, how they are uneducated to know any better?"

"Serein! One more word and I will have your tongue removed and placed on a golden platter before me!"

"Be my guest, brother dearest, and try to remove my tongue. You'll find it as sharp as the blade I wield."

"Serein! How dare you! I am the King of this kingdom, and as such… Serein! Listen to me!"

"Nero. I will no longer continue this argument. We have lost enough time as it is." She turned to the elf who had introduced himself before. "Minder, do you know of the outside of the palace well? How many men there are? Women and children? And the resources and supplies? How are we stocked? We need to begin for an invasion before the orcs are upon us and it is too late." She stated to the elves that had begun to gather to listen to her rather than Nero.

"I do know some, but not enough to be of complete help my Queen." He answered. 

"That will do."

"Serein." She turned to listen to Legolas. "You should take Minder and find out everything you'll need to know to plan. I'll deal with the barricades and see to it that people are properly armed." She smiled in relief at him. At least some one was on the same page as her.

"Wonderful! But Legolas, I do not know how trained any one of them will be in battle tactics. We might need to run through a basic training course later."

"But that is a worry for later. Worry about the supplies and their safety first."

"I know what I'm doing elf boy!" She snapped playfully.

"Of course, after all, you are a genius." 

"Next word and I tell them of your swim in the river." She threatened. He paled, but smiled good-naturedly.

"Of course. I'll see to those barricades now." He turned and walked off.

"Good. And be careful!" She called after him, grinning. "Come Minder, let's go. The rest of you listen to Prince Legolas. He is as versed in battle tactics as I and knows what he speaks of."

"No! You can't ignore me! I'm king!"

"And ignore your king." She added. The people, quite fed up with Nero, smiled and she even got a laugh from a few. They were happy to have a ruler who cared. But now down to work.*


	13. The Basics in War and Love

Chapter Thirteen: The Basics in War and Love

*"No, thank you. I couldn't eat another bite. But thank you so much for your kind hospitality. And I know my friend will enjoy your cooking as well." Serein beamed at the woman in front of her. Minder had taken her to see one of the elfin elders of the city. Though the woman was only fifty years older than herself, Serein still found the woman's advice valuable. 

Because the woman had lived in the village outside of the castle of Haze her whole life, she knew everyone and everything inside of the forest. Her knowledge proved helpful when Serein was trying to find a number of how many women and children elves she would need to hide during the or invasion. How many she needed to hide would affect where they could hide, how many guards would be posted around them, and how many supplies they would need for them. 

The old woman also offered advice on the best healers and elfin mid-wives. This meant Serein knew where she could find healers for the injured after the invasion had ended. 

To top it all off, even before the woman had found out she was Serein, the Queen of the kingdom, she had been polite and welcoming. It gave Serein hope that not all elves were afraid of outsiders. It also proved that there was, indeed, nothing like a home cooked meal. Of course she knew Legolas would be furious when he found out she had gotten a nice meal from an expert cook and he had gotten nothing, so she had asked the woman to pack her a bit of extra food for him. The woman had been honored and did so cheerfully.

As Serein and Minder continued their jaunt through the forest, he caught her up to date on everything that had come to pass both while she had been imprisoned and while she had been on her quest. 

"No. He didn't tear down that old tree! It was a landmark!" She cried in dismay as she learned more of the horrible things her brother had done.

"He did. Of course, we were all dismayed, but none of us wished to speak up against him. He was and still is a very influential man in our kingdom, regardless of his atrocities."

"I know. I almost rebelled against him myself, remember? But he managed to turn everything in his favor, once again, and make it seem like I was the one at fault."

"Such depressing thoughts. Tell me of your journeys my dear, for you are the only elf to have left Haze in centuries. Has the world changed much?"

"From the time of the First War of the Ring to now, much has changed and nothing has changed. Though the elves and dwarves are working towards peace agreements, humans are still human. Other elves live the same way we do, save they do not sleep as much and they eat more. But that is a natural difference when you are from places as different as ours."

"But how was your journey? Or tell me of how you came upon Prince Legolas as an ally?"

"That is simple. Remember how I told you I came into company with two hobbits? One was the ring bearer, the one chosen by the Council of Elrond to take the ring to Mount Doom. Legolas had been one of the original Fellowship members, but after they went through Lothlorien, they were split up by a bunch of orcs. We all met once more on the path to Isengard. Legolas is the reason I lived to retrieve the Gemstone of Haze, and it is because of him I survived the Second War of the Ring."

"He protected you?"

"In a manner of speaking. In Isengard, the tower was collapsing and I tripped over the edge of a crumbling staircase. He pulled me up. Then during the War, he shot an orc with an arrow as it was about to strike me. But I have saved him just as many times. I shielded him from the falling debris of Isengard, and then killed an orc that would have slain him in the War. So we are equals."

"You are good friends, for not many outsiders would travel here of their own free will."

"Elrond asked him to help me." She blushed slightly. He noticed and went on.

"He did not have to accept." She looked down and diverted her eyes as she answered him.

"No, he did not." 

"My Queen, dare I say you are taken by him?"

"Taken by him? In what sense?" She asked, very confused. "He has taken me no where, though I have dragged him everywhere it seems." Minder laughed.

"That is not the meaning I meant, my Queen. But if you wish to remain ignorant, then I will leave the thought there. Tell me, how big is the orc army?"

"As far as I could tell, about two hundred still live. But there are always more than there appear to be, and they are strong. We are few and weak."

"How will we ever fend them off? It would be better simply to hide and let them take what they will." He sighed. She stopped him dead in his tracks and looked him in the eye.

"Running is a cowardly thing to do. If we let them simply ransack us as they did last time, they will think us to be an easy pick. We cannot let them see we are weak. We will triumph. Besides. Legolas once told me he could not battle an army."

"And your response was?"

"With me he could."

)(

Legolas sighed. This was the fifth time he had needed to tell Nero to stop his ranting. The King had been bothering him ever since Serein had left with silly complaints, problems of a personal nature, and in general annoying statements. 

He had asked how long Legolas had been sharing his sister's bed, which had not only upset Legolas at the suggestion that Serein would do such a thing, but upset the people he was working with as well. It had taken him a good twenty minutes to convince them all that he and their sweet and innocent Queen were merely friends. Though in his heart he could not deny he wished they were more. Still, Nero was driving him to his breaking point. 

"Prince Legolas! The wood and metal you asked for are here, as well as the tools." An elf came up to him.

"Good. Then this is what we're going to do. Split those planks in half, and bolt them to the walls, covering the windows. Then take the strips of iron and place them on the sides of each window and in the center of the window, bolting them into the wooden planks. That should help to reinforce the windows. The orcs won't be able to break through as easily."

"Then why are there going to be slits in the boards?"

"For the archers to aim arrows out of." Legolas explained. A light went on in the elf's head, and suddenly it seemed he understood what they were trying to accomplish. 

"Alright! I want Ecran and Doven working on this window, and…" Legolas grabbed an elf nearby and began working on another window while the other elf instructed the others. As he helped hold a board across the window, the elf began to speak to him.

"So you're the Prince of Mirkwood?"

"Yes, but Legolas is my name."

"Well then, Legolas. Tell me how you met my aunt Serein." Legolas nearly dropped the wooden plank and watched as the other elf grinned like mad.

"Serein is your cousin?"

"Yes, though she doesn't know it. I'm one of Nero's illegitimate sons."

"One of them?" Legolas asked in wonder.

"Yes. There are four of us. Or there were. Two of them are dead, killed in the orc raid. The other one is the one you were just speaking to, the one ordering everyone around now. His name is Lathner. I am Lakner. Our mothers were both courtesans until Nero found out they harbored his children. Then they were shipped away. But he could not deny us work, so he has made us laborers instead. Our mothers used to speak of Serein when we were young to us, telling us things would be different if she were still alive."

"But she is still alive. Are things different?"

"This is different. I have never seen people so willing to help before. Most people just let the orcs come the first raid. They didn't even defend themselves. But now people care. Serein has made them care with a simple speech."

"From what you've seen of your cousin, do you like her?"

"Very much. But I wish to get to know her better before she knows I am her cousin. She may treat me differently otherwise."

"She will not. On my honor as the Prince of Mirkwood, I swear she will not treat you any different, save maybe to care to get to know you better."

"You truly believe that?"

"I have seen her do it before, and have no doubt she will do it again." Legolas nodded as he helped Lakner hoist a new plank of wood up to the window.

"You seem to know her well. Was what Nero said truly the truth, or was he just blowing hot air once more?" Legolas blushed.

"Your cousin Serein has a great deal of honor. She would never consider such a thing, I assure you."

"But you would?" Lakner nudged him. Legolas' blush deepened.

"She is my friend."

"And you wish for more, yet she does not know it." Lakner laughed hard at Legolas' position. "Do not worry. I have the same problem!" Legolas' uncomfortable feeling flew away when he heard the young elf had the same problem. He too smiled and began grinning.

"It's a horrible position to be in, is it not?" Legolas said through his laughter.

"Indeed! I've known the girl I love for all my life, and only recently did I begin to love her. But she does not know it. I don't know how to tell her."

"If I could help you, I would. Yet I cannot even solve my own problems!" They laughed harder.

"Women!" Lakner shook his head.

"And what of them?" A voice called from next to them. The two elves stopped their laughing to see Serein and Minder had returned. 

"Nothing. We were merely speaking is all." Legolas covered. He shifted weight under the heavy board he held up as Lakner bolted it to the wall.

"Well then. I suppose you don't really want this…" She took the food the elfin woman had given to her for Legolas and waved it before his face. "Because it was made by a woman, and since you seem to think we are such inept creatures…" She smirked. Legolas' eyes were fixed on the plate of food, and she could see his mouth watering.

"Legolas," Lakner began smoothly. "I've finished bolting this particular plank down. You can let go if you need to for any reason…" The two elves looked at each other and grinned.

"Many thanks to you, Lakner. I believe I will." Legolas dropped his hold and advanced on Serein, who had backed herself into a corner. 

"Now Legolas" she started. "Don't be too rough with me. I did bring you the food after all!" She pleaded.

"But you teased a man about food. A man who has not eaten in three days because someone ate almost the entire rabbit he hunted for the both of them…" 

"You surely cannot still be too mad about that little incident, can you?" She continued. 

"No. But I can be hungry about it!" With that, he lunged for the plate and stole it from her unsuspecting hands. 

"Pig!" She huffed. Minder and Lakner stood laughing at their antics all the while.

"I do believe she's taken with him." Minder whispered to Lakner.

"I have no doubts he is with her… for he himself only just admitted it to me. That is what we were laughing over. But he is worried over her pride."

"Pride?"

"He does not want to ruin her to her people." 

"Indeed. This could be interesting to watch. Tell me, does she know you are…"

"No. But I intend to tell her."

"Tell me of what?" Serein asked. As the two men had spoken, their voices had risen so she could hear them.

"My Queen. I am your nephew." Lakner stepped forward.

"My… nephew?" She asked in surprise.

"He is your brother's illegitimate son." Minder completed for him. Serein nodded.

"What is your name then?" She asked.

"Lakner. And your other nephew stands over there giving orders. He is Lathner. You had two more, but they were killed in the last orc raid."

"It is too bad I never got the chance to meet them." She frowned. Tossing a fleeting look towards Legolas, he nodded back, knowing what she was going to do.

"Come with me Lakner. I wish to hear all about you. You and Legolas can laugh over 'women' later." She winked at him. "And Legolas. Do not think you have gotten away with stealing that food from me just yet. I will return the favor one way or another." She promised.

"I look forward to seeing you try it Serein." He laughed and continued eating. She rolled her eyes and dragged Lakner off. When they had reached the corridor outside of the giant hall they had just been in, she began asking questions of him. Who was his mother, what sort of food did he like, his favorite color. They walked on and she asked about normal things such as which weapon he was the best with and did he like horses. Serein also asked him strange things, like what was his favorite type of tree and what sort of animal would he be if he was one. They laughed and spoke together as old friends might. By the time they were finished with their conversation, they were back at the entrance to the hall, and he was sure she knew everything possible about him.

"Serein, Legolas was right."

"About?"

"I told him I did not want you to treat me differently because I was your cousin. He told me you would not, and you have not, save wanting to get to know me better."

"Oh? He told you that did he?" She asked skeptically.

"He did." They entered the hall again, and were shocked at the difference. The room was dark. All of the windows had been boarded up, and there was little light in the room. That wasn't a good thing. It was time for her to take charge. 

"I'm sorry Lakner, but I need to get to work now… men. The did not think to put lights in so one could see what they were doing." She smirked.

"I understand."

"There is still more I need to learn about you, both you and your half brother. But it will need to wait. Be careful." She nodded a goodbye and took off. She had never been good at goodbyes.

"Serein! We've finished." Legolas greeted her. 

"So I see. Or so I do not see. Legolas. Did it ever occur to you that it got dark in here rather quickly?"

"No." He furrowed his eyes.

"Trust me then. It's so dark in here I can't see. We need some lamps. And did we find a…"

"Yes, we did find a suitable hiding place for all of the women and children." Legolas was slightly hesitant to volunteer this information, and Serein shifted seeing it.

"Really? Where?" 

" We decided to put them below, in the dungeons, and bar the doors. Did you not say the orc had a tough time breaking through your cell door to get to you? Then the others will have a hard time trying to get through the cell doors as well." Minder finished.

"But you cannot place women and children down there! I've been down there, I know. It is dirty and far too dark! The young ones will not be able to handle it!" She cried in dismay.

"Serein." Legolas pulled her aside and sat her down on a makeshift chair. Kneeling before her, he looked into her eyes. "Serein. It may be tough on them. But it is the safest place for them to be. You know that. I know that. We all know it. Do not deny them their safety. I believe they would rather stay down in those dungeons than have a higher risk of death elsewhere."

"But Legolas, I barely survived down there! How will they when they? At least before I was put down there I had seen some horrible things. I was somewhat prepared! They are pure and innocent!"

"You are more innocent than you think. Serein, I give you my word, it is the safest place for them during the invasion. And it will not be very long, only a few days at the longest."

"You give me your word Legolas?" She asked, taking his hands in hers and holding them tightly to her.

"My word." He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them to seal the oath.

"Very well. I trust you." She gave him a small but sad smile. Her eyes caught his in a gaze that held intensely for a few moments. Then he broke the connection, afraid she would see what was hidden in his eyes for her. 

"Come. Let's see what we can do with those lights? And you mentioned something about a training camp for those less experienced in weapons handling?" He led her away. *


	14. Crimes of Passion

Chapter Fourteen: Crimes of Passion

*The dim room had finally been lit. In front of them stood fifty men and boys, and even a few of the young elfin women. Legolas and Serein had placed themselves up on the alter of the throne chairs so they could see out over the entire crowd.

"How do we begin?" She whispered to him.

"Well. We should take those who already have some basic skill and separate them from those who have never handled a weapon before."

"Good idea. I knew I kept you around for a reason." She smirked. He smiled back at her, spirits high. "Alright." She spoke out over the crowd. "We need to begin by separating you according to your skill level. If you consider yourself to be fairly well skilled with any weapon at all, please step to the left of the room. If you have never had any experience, please step to the right, and if you know only a few of the very basics, please stay in the middle." There was a mad scramble as people moved to their designated areas. 

"Well. We look to have a slight problem. More people have never used a weapon than those who have and those who only know a little combined." Legolas murmured.

"I never said this was going to be easy."

"If it were easy, we would not be worried as we are."

"Would you care to begin with those who have used weapons before? I'll take those who haven't, and half way through the day, we can trade off." She suggested.

"That sounds like a good plan." He agreed. "But what of those with limited skill?"

"Put them in the with the skilled. Hopefully they will pick things up faster. And that group is smaller."

"Then shall we begin?" He smiled.

"Of course. Waste no time." She smiled back. "Alright. Those on the right side of the room, meet me in the courtyard." She called out.

"And the rest of you stay here." Their groups broke. As Serein led her group to the courtyard, she noticed how disturbing this was. How long had her people been unable to defend themselves? How long had they lived in fear because of their lack of strength? Well, they would not suffer any longer.

"Alright. I would like you all to pick a sword."

"How do we know which to choose?" A voice from the crowd called out. She smiled. At least they were willing.

"You do not as of yet. Just choose whichever one you can lift." A few people laughed, and they stepped forward to choose their weapons. 

"Now then, everyone will learn both the bow and sword, but you will begin today with the sword, then the bow, and after we break for a mid-day break, Legolas will teach you more of the finer points regarding your specific weapon."

"We will break for mid-day?" Someone asked from the crowd. She mentally blinked. Then she remembered. She too had not been used to stopping for a break mid-day, but with the Fellowship and the hobbits, she had learned to get used to it. Funny how living with people one picked up habits.

"Yes. But believe me, by mid-day, you will be glad for the break. I will not lie to you; this will not be easy. But it will be gratifying in the end when you feel confident to defend yourselves, I guarantee. Now let's begin. With a sword, the first thing you need to remember is that the blade is long and sharp." A few laughs were heard. "Truly." She insisted. "If you forget what the sword is, you will have no hopes to tame the power it can give you. Think of your sword as an extension to your arm. It does what your arm can do, only it inflicts more damage."

"Do you have a lighter sword?" Some one called out. 

"If you are not comfortable with your sword, please feel free to change it for another at any time. Now then. We will try the simple basic swing to get used to the weight of the blade. Just 'swish' your arm from left to right and then back. Make sure you have enough room around you that you don't hurt anyone, and make sure you have a firm grip on the sword. It would be tragic for it to fly out of your hand and hurt someone." More laughter.

"Now that you have the feel for the weight, try lifting it up and down." She walked around as the elves did so, correcting their mistakes, showing them how to get a better grip, straightening an elbow here and there. "That's good. For now, don't think about why you are learning the weapon, just handle it lightly."

)(

"As most of you know, I am Legolas. Your queen, being the headstrong woman she is, has asked me to teach you more of you skill." He smiled good-naturedly. He received a few laughs, and Lakner, who stood beside him with Lathner, clapped his shoulder. "But I am not from here and do not know you each as well as you know each other. I do however have friends who know your skill level, and who will help me to teach you."

"Do you know both the sword and bow?" A question rang out.

"I do. I am most versed in archery, however I would not have survived the Second War of the Ring without my knowledge of swords and ability to wield them. But it is difficult to teach both archery and swords at once, so I will split the morning in half, one half for each weapon."

"Is this only a morning training camp?"

"No. After a mid-day break, Serein will be here to continue where I leave off, and I will be in her place."

"Is she as talented as you?" An older elf was trying to cause trouble, Legolas saw.

"She is perhaps more so. Do not judge upon appearance, for that is often the mistake of many skilled fighters, and they have not lived to correct it. 

I am merely here to teach you more of your skill, just as she. Yet I do not know how much skill each of you has. Therefore, I would like you to pair off. Each of you must know at least some of the basics with swords. Begin with them. Just lightly duel, try not to exert too much force." He instructed them. 

"That old elf is Garfnel. He often stirs up trouble, pay him no mind." Lakner explained to Legolas.

"I could tell he did not like the thought of Serein teaching him. Does he believe women to be weak?"

"Yes. He is an old man who likes to live in the past. Not many listen to him any more though, and they all know Serein is only trying to help."

"I hope so. I believe that is Serein's greatest fear; that no one will listen to her when she is only trying to save her dying kingdom."

"Are we truly a dying kingdom?" Lathner joined them.

"As much as I wish I could tell you you were not, I would be lying if I did. To the other elfin cities, you are mere legends. I didn't even believe Serein when she said she was from here. I though she might be ill with hallucinations, but now that I see this place, I know better. Still, that is how I thought when I first heard she believed she was from this place."

"Then we truly have fallen from the grace of Valor." Lathner shook his head depressed. 

"You have not. Serein does not believe that. She has not given up hope on you; therefore do not give up hope upon yourselves. I once told her I could not fight an army."

"And she said?"

"With her I could." He smirked at the memory. Then he turned his attention to work. Correcting a few stances and postures, he mostly supervised as the elves refreshed their skills.

)(

Mid-day came and went quickly to those elves that did not enjoy learning the arts of weaponry. But for all those who did enjoy the physical push, the release of energy, and the true skill it took to wield a weapon, mid-day went by too slowly, and the rest of the day passed by too quickly. The elves were given an hour at mid-day and told they could do whatever they wished with the time, as long as they were back where they were supposed to be after the hour was over. And after mid-day, Serein and Legolas had switched groups to be pleasantly surprised with what the other had accomplished.

But now night had nearly fallen, and it was twilight in the darkening hall. Serein, Legolas, Lakner, Lathner and Minder all sat upon the steps to the throne, content to be lazy now after a long and hard day of work.

"What happened to our father?" Lathner finally asked. It was true- no one had seen Nero in almost a full day. 

"I do not know. He is most likely trying to raise trouble for us somewhere. But pay him no heed. He only wished power, nothing more." Serein waved the question off.

"Is it possible for him to overthrow you again Aunt Serein?" Lakner asked.

"Anything is possible. But it is most improbable." She answered cryptically. Legolas laughed and expanded upon her answer.

"What you dear old Aunt Serein means is that he could overthrow her, or at least try to. But not many would help him, let alone let him. Most of them, it seems, are fed up with his poor ruling."

"Or lack thereof." Serein snorted. "And I am not old, Legolas." She huffed.

"Of course not." His grin still held.

"I'm going to ignore you for that." She threatened. 

"Be my guest." He challenged. 

"Oh!" She stood flustered. "That is it. I cannot bare this any longer. I am going for a walk. Perhaps I will find some remnants of the haze to comfort me. Though I doubt it." She turned on her heel and stomped off.

"Serein!" Legolas called after her. But it was too late for his words to have much effect upon the flustered elfin maiden as she walked away. Legolas hung his head and hid his face in his hands. "Not again."

"Again?" Minder asked.

"I have a knack for getting on the wrong end of her temper. It usually ends with her mad at me like this." He explained.

"Perhaps you should go speak to her?" Lathner asked.

"And risk getting his head bitten off? No, he's smart to stay put." Lakner disagreed. 

"No, maybe he should go after her…" Minder added.

"Maybe I'll take a walk myself." Legolas told himself, for the others were too busy arguing to listen to him. He quietly slipped away from their merciless banter and into the forest. 

Not knowing where she was going, Serein randomly chose a path through the woods and began walking it. Why had she even gotten so upset over Legolas? He had done nothing wrong but try to cheer her up, she knew. Still, he had pushed her to her limit. Again. Darn that foolish elf. She could never figure out why she had such a reaction as she did to him. And the worst part was she always felt guilty afterwards.

Why? Because Legolas was such a truehearted elf. He really did care for things as he claimed to. He was unselfish, forgiving, handsome, kind, fair… why had handsome slipped in there? There went her thoughts again. It seemed as though every time she got them focused, he invaded them and polluted them. But she liked it. It was like getting drunk. She felt lightheaded and good, but the after effects, she knew without experience, would be tasteless.

Coming upon an apple tree in the moonlight, she looked up and decided an apple would not be a bad idea. Perhaps it would rid her of her troubling thoughts. Grabbing a limb of the tree, she carefully used it to walk up the trunk and climb into the branches. Soon she had reached the top branches of the tree, and the apples were looking very inviting. As she reached out for one, she slipped on an unstable branch. As she fell, she knew it was going to hurt to land, if not break something.

Legolas was wandering the path aimlessly. He wished he could have seen the forest with the haze that had once characterized it so much. It was the haze that Serein loved about the forest so much. But if she liked the haze, then would she not like Mirkwood? His home certainly was on the darker side in his opinion. Still, this was her home, and he could see why she was so determined to save it. She loved it so much.

He kept replaying in his mind over and over when he had asked her if any other place could ever be considered home to her. She had never answered; only he had caught a slight blush and then her cold hard glare. She seemed to try to hide beneath layers of ice. But he knew he was chipping away at those layers. It was just taking so long, and he wanted her to realize it now… but he would wait as long as need be for her. Until she gave him no hope, he would continue to harbor silent feelings for her, feelings which even he did not fully understand.

Suddenly from above was a slight cracking noise, and then a short scream. He looked up to see that falling through the branches of the apple tree above him was Serein. He smiled slightly, and stood right below where she was going to fall. As she neared, he saw she had her eyes closed and was holding her breath in expectance of the hard landing. He caught her with little effort.

Slowly Serein realized she had not fallen to the hard earthen floor, but was instead cradled in someone's strong and warm arms. Someone's very familiar arms. Opening her eyes just a crack; she nearly burst with gratitude to Legolas for catching her from a horrible fall.

"Are you alright?" he asked concerned.

"Yes." She answered, slightly out of breath. "Thank you. How did you know I needed help?"

"I was just walking through and I heard you scream from above. You're sure you're not hurt?"

"Yes." She nodded thoroughly. "You can out me down now."

"Oh, my apologies." He said quickly, not realizing he had still been holding her in his arms. She was incredibly light, even for an elf.

"No, there's nothing to apologize about, I just… Legolas." Her voice made him look at her. Something was bothering her. "I'm sorry for earlier. I should not have lost my temper with you as I did. It was completely rude and you did not deserve it."

"I did indeed. I teased you, and you punished me." He breathed. So close… She pulled him in for a hug. Then, whispering gently in his ear, she continued her apology.

"You did not deserve a punishment." Her breath on his sensitive ear ate away at his sanity faster than any force he had ever reckoned with. Two could play at this game. He would simply pour his charms upon her. Pulling away, he led her to sit on the ground beneath and apple tree. When she let her guard down, he settled her on his lap and pulled her in close so their foreheads rested against each other's.

"Perhaps you are right. Perhaps I did not deserve a punishment. And how will you make up for it?" She stayed still for a moment; not believing it was the same Legolas she had known. He suddenly seemed older, wiser, and yet at the same time, his proximity to her was driving her to feel things she had never before experienced. She could barely raise her voice to more than a whisper to answer. He was so close, and her mind was so muddled. 

"I do not know. What would you have me do Prince of Mirkwood?"

"I have not decided yet. Perhaps the maiden queen would like to explain why she was in the tree that could have been her end had she fallen and I not caught her?"

"I was only going to pick an apple. It just happened that the branch beneath me gave way and I slipped."

"It should be considered a crime to allow maidens such as yourself to pick apples. It is too dangerous." He joked. She squirmed, very uncomfortable with his closeness at this point. She liked it, but was afraid. His eyes sparkled with a knowing gleam, and it seemed as if they held more than his usual mirth and tenderness as he watched her.

"I believe you have forgotten I am not a maiden. I am a warrior, just like yourself."

"You are a maiden, and a beautiful one. Do not deny what you are. That too, should be considered a crime."

"Then it would be a crime of passion, for I truly believe in what I speak."

"A crime of passion? To forget who you are for the mock front of a person that is not you?"

"A crime of passion to protect myself from people such as yourself." She tried harder to get away, but he would have none of it.

"Why would you wish to do that? Think of how much you miss. You are allowed to be more than one thing. I see nothing wrong with a maiden who loves to fight and seeks adventure."

"But I will still get hurt." She whispered, giving up her futile attempts to pull away. She had never had a chance… not when she had never wanted to truly leave him in the first place.

"Serein. Stop playing games. I would never hurt you. You know that." His voice caught in his throat.

"I know." She choked back on her own words. "But I fear you all the same."

"Tell me, fair warrior maiden. Would it be a crime to steal a kiss?" She gasped. This was her friend… but didn't she herself feel much the same way?

"Perhaps. It would most certainly be a crime of passion." She could hardly breath.

"Then I shall be accused of the crime, and plead guilty." With his last sentence still hanging heavily in the air, he bent forward and lightly grazed her lips in a tender kiss. *


	15. Of Flame and Fury

Chapter Fifteen: Of Flame and Fury

*Legolas shifted as he applied more gentle pressure upon Serein's lips. For a time she stood perfectly still, not knowing what to make of the situation. But soon her defenses caved as Legolas' sweet lips intoxicated her. Slowly and very unsure, she tilted her head and allowed Legolas' soft lips to take their course. Ever so carefully, she responded to his delicate kisses. 

Legolas' head swam as he saw stars. She was not only allowing him to kiss her, but she was responding and driving him mad. Her velvety lips tasted of sweet wine and he relished in bliss as she attempted to taste him. His skin burned with an icy warmth, and he felt flushed and short of breath. Never before had he dared dream such an angel would allow him to be so close and intimate with her.

They broke apart from lack of air, and the heavy silence filled the small clearing. Not a sound could be heard, only their breaths as they gasped for the life gas they needed. Very slowly, as he regained his breath, Legolas drew Serein in closer to him. He laid a kiss upon her temple, and then trailed small butterfly kisses down her jaw line. When he reached her mouth, he stopped, teasing her lips with a light brush. Then he kissed her delicate ear and backed away.

Serein could still feel every place his soft lips had touched her skin, branding her with his fiery desire. He had been so gentle, and what made it more amazing was the fact that she knew he was stronger and that he had chosen not to exert that force.

"Serein?" He breathed, afraid she would turn and slap him for his actions.

"Hmm?" She was still reeling with the events of only seconds ago.

"Are you angry with me for my actions?"

"No… I do not think so." She replied, still slightly dazed. But she was coming around. "Legolas, why?"

"You had to ask the hardest question for me to answer. Why? I honestly do not know myself."

"But you must have some idea?"

"Ever since I first saw you I have felt some attraction to you. But lately, you seem more… I couldn't help myself."

"But you are my friend?" She asked confused.

"Yes. Unless you are so angered with my actions that you decide you do not wish me to be around…"

"No!" She cried. He looked up in surprise and she blushed. "I don't think I could continue on here without you helping me. It's just that… I'm very confused. I honestly do not know what to make of all that has just happened between us. One minute I was furious at you, the next we were joking and teasing again, and the next we were kissing. What am I to think?"

"Whatever you want. Stop trying to think through things for a change. You never give in to your emotions any more."

"Isn't that part of being an elf? Having the ability to switch your feelings on and off at the drop of a hat?"

"Yes, but Serein, when you're with me, you shouldn't have to switch anything off or on. It should come naturally because we are friends."

"Are we friends?" She asked casually.

"The truth?"

"No, lie to me." She smirked slightly, even under their pressing conditions. 

"Serein, for me, friendship isn't enough anymore. I have tried to tell myself to be patient, to wait and let you come around, but I do believe I've lost my dignity and any footing I had in that kiss."

"What are you saying?"

"I want to be more than friends. And I have for some time. But I will not do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

"Legolas. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to think, or to feel. I've gotten my emotions so twisted and contorted that I cannot even decipher my feelings for you. I believe in my heart that I feel something more than friendship for you. But I cannot give in to it just yet."

"Serein…"

"No, hear me out, I have my reasons. Legolas, we are here in Haze to fight a losing battle against orcs. Tell me what would happen if one of us were to die on the field of battle? Or what happens when the battles are over? Then what? You will need to go back to Mirkwood, and I am needed here in my kingdom. We have too many obligations tearing us apart. I am afraid we would only get hurt. More than anything I do not wish for my heart to be broken again."

"I know, I know. I too have thought of all of those possibilities. But I am to a point where I no longer care. You've bewitched me." He smiled and caressed her cheek with his hand. She leaned into his touch and savored the feeling.

"I have bewitched you?" She gave a small laugh. "You should not say such things." She pulled away from his hand. "You should not say such things, for they will only end up hurting you."

"Why are you so bitter of love?"

"Love?" She questioned. His eyes too, widened in the realization of what he had only just said. "Please Legolas, don't love me. Please. It would never work…"

"I know. But I cannot stop what already lies within my heart Serein. I do love you."

"Legolas… we should be getting back. We need to be ready for tomorrow's training sessions." She changed the subject, wanting to avoid the topic at hand.

"Very well." He agreed, knowing she was not ready to accept what they both knew lay in her heart as well. He rose and offered her his hand, which she accepted after a brief hesitation. 

They walked back in a comfortable silence, each glad to be left alone with their own thoughts. When they finally reached the palace, Serein showed Legolas to a room where he could rest, and then she walked toward her old room, hopeful to get some sleep. 

As she entered her room, she found everything exactly as she had left it. Sighing, she changed out of her muddy training clothes and into her thin, light blue nightdress. But sleep did not come to her as she had hoped. Instead, she turned to watch the stars in the sky. But the clouds had made that impossible. Suddenly she felt crowded. It was hard to breath. The room was too small. She had to get out… get to safety. 

Legolas had just relaxed on his bed when a knock came to his door. He stood and opened it, expecting it to be an elf informing him of the orcs advancing. What he found instead surprised him.

"Legolas." The whisper was barely audible. He drank in the sight of her. She was ghostly pale, and her thin and shimmering nightdress was not doing much to keep her warm in the freezing temperatures of the night.

"Serein? Serein, what's wrong?"

"Legolas… I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Everything." She breathed. He watched as a lone tear trickled down her cheek. His heart broke. He stepped forward and encircled his arms around her, holding her tightly.

"Do not be afraid. I will protect you." He reassured her over and over. She looked up and held his gaze. She raised her hand to caress his cheek. Then she traced his jaw with one of her fingers. Trailing it down, she ran it over his lips. 

He tried to protest, but she silenced him with a chaste kiss. His mind clouded and his heart pounded. Then she buried her head into his chest once more and held onto him, as if he would disappear if she did not hold on tightly enough.

"Hold me." She requested.

"Of course. I will always be here."

"Legolas…" She muttered into his chest.

"Come. Let me take you back to your bed." He insisted.

"No. I wish to stay with you. Just hold me." She looked up and when their gazes met, he hoped he would have the willpower to deny her. Kissing her with more passion than before, he sparked a fire. She responded with her own pent up passion and locked her mouth over his. In a dizzying attempt to out-do each other, they kissed harder and harder. His hands roamed freely about her lithe form, and her made their way up and under his tunic. Legolas pulled her into the room and nudged the door closed behind him. He was losing his grasp on reality.

Moving her over towards the bed, he lay her down gently and cradled her in his arms. Looking at her in her state, his breath caught. He had no willpower left to deny her with.

"Are you sure?" He blew gently into her sensitive ear. She nodded.

"Just hold me." He nodded, unable to speak.

)(

Morning came and the sunlight slowly streamed in through the windows. First it lit the foot of the bed, and then, moving up, it caught the sensitive eyes of one elf. Slowly peeking her eyes open, Serein looked around. Where was she that she felt so warm and safe? Looking down, she saw her appearance was not in the interest of modesty, and that there was a pair of strong arms around her waist. Ever so slightly shifting, Serein could make out the sleeping form of Legolas.

She smiled slightly. Last night had been the most wonderful night of her life. Never had she known or experienced such thrilling passion and pleasure. And Legolas had been so careful and gentle with her. He truly loved her, she knew.

"Good morning." His husky, deep voice brought her back to reality.

"Good morning yourself." She replied, still in her languid state. He bent his neck and nuzzled hers, whispering things only a lover might say all the while. "You know Legolas," She groaned. "If you do not stop there, I will never be able to get out of this bed."

"The stay in it, by all means." He smirked. The his smirk melted away and he looked grim. 

"What? What is the matter lover?" She asked him, a light frown playing across her sweet features. What could possibly be troubling him so? Had she not satisfied him last night? Was she suddenly undesirable? Or was it that he simply cared for her no more?

"Lover." He repeated. "Serein, why did you come to me last night? Was it simply to forget your fears?"

"Yes." She answered, still in fear that he would reject her. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his temples as if he were getting a headache. "Legolas." He looked at her, his once loving smile now harried and distraught. "I came to you to forget my fears because you are the only one I trust, the only one I know, and the only one I care for. Please don't leave me now because of my weakness."

"Leave you? Never. But Serein, you do not love me?"

"I still fear the future if I tell you the truth."

"And yet you fear me leaving you? Serein! This is your future! You and I, waking up every morning, bathing in the warm sun. Laying in each other's arms until we have need to rise, and even then not being separated for more than a few hours at a time. Serein, this is what we could be."

"And what of our duties? Or of death?"

"Death? There will be no death. The orcs will not kill either of us; I know this in my heart. As for the duties, we will work something out. Love always finds a way, or haven't you heard that?"

"I have heard it, yet I have never seen it come to pass." She replied.

"Then you shall observe it with us." He grasped her hands and brought them to his lips. "Serein, please. I love you."

Her heart melted at his words. He was so sure of his convictions, so sincere with all of his love and compassion. She wished more than anything to be able to spend her eternity with him. She loved with beyond the shadow of a doubt. Only her fear was keeping her back from telling him. To hell with that fear. They could deal with that bridge as they came to cross it.

"Legolas." She began. "I…care…for you a great deal."

"But is that all?" 

"No. But Legolas, I just cannot give in now… not when I've only just come home and…"

"And you're too proud to give in to your own feelings." He watched a frown spread wide across her lips and darken her face till it was shaded with hurt and rejection.

"I am a very proud person, this is true." She paused and took a deep and labored breath. "And now because of my pride you will discard me." A tear spilled, followed by another, and another. Then she forced herself to stop crying. "Do as you will then. I do not care. Only know that I would die for you."

"Serein, my Serein. Do not speak of such things. I will not leave you! Please never think that again! And I would rather die and see you live happily than have you die for me. Oh Serein… please don't cry" He gathered her up in his arms and held her close to him. She could feel his strong heartbeat and the rhythm of his steady breathing. She desired to be closer. So close that their bodies melded to a point where they became one. But a knock on the door ended that hope.

"Legolas?" Called a voice through the door. 

"It is your nephew Lakner." Legolas murmured, sensing her fear of being caught. Her pride was still intact. 

"I should hide…"

"Don't bother. He knows."

"Knows what?" She demanded.

"That I love you."

"You told my nephew you loved me before you told me?" She accused him. 

"I was asking him for advice! And it turned out he was in the same mess with another girl." He explained.

"You are a horrible person!" She hissed at him and threw a pillow his way.

"Hey!" He growled, seeing the beginning of her fowl mood coming on. 

"Legolas?" Lakner called once more. Legolas stood and pulled on his pants.

"Wait, what are you going to do? Legolas? Legolas?" Serein asked. 

"I'm wounding your pride. Lover." He answered solemnly. Once he had his pants on, Legolas reached for his tunic and opened the door. Serein gave a short yelp and dove for the sheets, hoping to at least cover her self for the sake of decency. 

Lakner opened his eyes to quite a sight. Legolas stood grinning madly before him, pants on and tunic in his hand. In the bed behind him, however, sat the real wonder. His aunt, the Queen of Haze, Serein, was blushing furiously and wearing nothing more than a thin bed sheet hastily wrapped around her for modesty. Lakner diverted his eyes, but kept a knowing smile about his thin lips.

"Good morning Lakner. Can my lover and I help you?" Legolas knew Serein was cringing behind him. She was going to kill him for this later…

"Legolas!" She cried. She could not believe he had said that, and to her own nephew no less! He was going to get it right now! She stood; making sure the sheet was firmly wrapped about her. "That is it. I hate you! And I don't care at all. Thank you for being a distraction. As of now, this is your dismissal from Haze. If you haven't left by mid-day, I'll, I'll, I'll have you executed!" She yelled, storming out the door and down the hall towards her room. She slammed the door with a heavy clang.

"I think I made her angry again." Legolas smirked. He knew she didn't truly hate him. And he knew he had wounded her pride greatly. Well, he was going to teach her that pride wasn't everything, and that no decent relationship could survive without some hint of humility.

"What happened between you two?" Lakner asked deftly. He had seen Serein splotched and spiteful face as she had screamed in her rage and embarrassment.

"She fell on top of me last night while I was on my walk."

"She fell? On top of you?"

"She slipped out of the tree she had been in and I caught her. One thing led to another, and we ended up here in bed."

"So then you have told her you love her? And she pushed you away?"

"She did not at first, but after she had realized the full consequences of our actions, she did. And she had valid reasons. But most of it is her damned pride. She needs a lesson in humility."

"And I suppose that was it? Well, I simple came to inform you, however, that the training groups are ready for today's lessons. When you two didn't show up this morning, people almost panicked, saying you had carried her away, or that an orc had shot you both last night. Lathner, Minder and I have tried to cool the hot-heads down, but they are edgy in any case."

"That is only natural. They have been without a true leader for so long that they fear what could happen to their new strong leader, for then where would they be but back to square one."

"Of course."

"Let me get Serein, and we will join you momentarily. Tell the groups to just wait." Legolas told him. Then he turned and walked down the hall towards Serein's room. Opening the door, he had to laugh at the scene before him.

On the bed she lay, sleeping peacefully, wrapped in the blue silken sheet that had come from his bed. She had not even changed before she had given into exhaustion. Stepping up to her and shaking her awake, he smiled at her when she glared.

"How could you humiliate me such as you did? And my own nephew, barely even over one hundred years old! Legolas!" She cried, tears falling down her cheeks. 

"I am truly sorry my dear. But your arrogance will only end up destroying your life if you do not harness it. Besides, your nephew is much like you in that he will keep the secrets of his close friends well guarded. I have no fear that he will tell anyone of this, especially when he saw that it upset you so."

"You are truly a hateful man. I wish never to see you again!" She cried.

"Of course. And after the orc attack I will leave, if you truly desire me to."

"I do." She spat. 

"Only know this: you asked me before if I was going to leave you, and I said no. Now you ask me to leave you, and I say yes. I will do anything you desire of me, because I still love you. If only you weren't so proud, maybe you could let me in." He let a moment of silence pass, then spoke again. "Come, the trainees await us."

"Very well." She choked a whisper. "Let me dress and we shall begin the second day of training."

"Very well." He stood impassively.

"Well? Aren't you going to leave?" She asked.

"Why? I've seen…"

"Nothing, and you will never see anything if you do not leave now." She ordered him sternly. He smirked slightly at her discomfort, but did as she asked and left the room. But his was not deterred, no far from it; he was not going to leave her heart. *


	16. Battle Weary Life

Chapter Sixteen: Battle Weary Life

*Serein managed to swallow her anger with Legolas enough to allow him to escort her down to the main hall, though she did not speak to him. It was odd for her. She knew she had the right to be angry with him, she knew he had gone too far in his wish to 'teach' her humility, but she also knew she couldn't resist him. 

On the way down to the main hall, he had been quiet and drawn in as she had. She felt horrible for taking such a wonderful elf and hurting him as she had done. Her heart ached to stop him in the corridor, to tell him she loved him, to hug him and have his arms hold her. But her pride and knowledge of her duty kept her from doing so. She could not relent to him. 

It was not that he was not good enough for her, Valor no! If anything he was too good for her. But it would never work as he dreamed it might. He would one day have to rule over the whole of Mirkwood, and she would need to stay and take care of her own home, Haze. And he was so much younger than herself! True, he had had just as much experience as her due to the fact that she had had her life postponed while she had been in the dungeons for the years, but ultimately, it made no difference. He would eventually become agitated and restless with staying in one place with one person for so long. Then he would leave her and she would be nowhere but with a broken heart. 

And even if, for some miracle reason they did manage to find a way to work all of the other finite problems out, there was always the possibility that either of them would not live the orc invasion. She had considered sending him away so that he would not be caught in the fight, but quickly realized it would be a foolish ideal. He would object to leave her, and even if she did get him to leave, there was no guarantee it was safer out there than with her. And what if she died while in battle? Then what would he do?

She foresaw all of these problems and more for them, so her pride kept her from turning to him. Though it hurt them both now, in the end it was so much less painful than beginning a strong relationship and having it end due to problems. 

As soon as they entered the main hall, they were greeted with relieved and worried comments from nearly everyone. 

"Lady Serein, we are glad you are still here. When you did not show this morning, we feared for your health and safety." One man spoke for the entire crowd.

"Yes, I am terribly sorry I worried you as such. Please understand I was simply late, and that nothing ails me." She tried to smile.

"You do not look well this morning. You are so pale, as if you've seen a ghost." Minder spoke to her softly. Yet elves have wonderful hearing. Nearly the whole of the room heard the remark.

"Let me assure you, I am quite fine."

"So I've noticed." Legolas muttered under his breath. No one save Serein, Minder, and her nephews heard him. Lakner smirked, and Minder gave a short laugh. Serein simply growled, but all could see the deep blush that had crossed her ashen complexion. 

"Prince Legolas, I will deal with _you_ later. Come, we waste time speaking over my health. I am fine. Now for today's training. The Prince of Mirkwood and I have decided to pair you all off and watch you fight. Throughout the day you will switch partners and we will walk around correcting your mistakes and giving you tips on how to improve your skill. Please pair off by yourselves now."

"Will we be breaking for mid-day?" Someone in the crowd asked.

"I have not yet decided. It shall depend upon how much hard work you put into your training and the improvement you make." As the people began pairing off, they all spoke quietly of how their queen's mood had so drastically changed from the days before. They reasoned she must have had a poor night's rest, or that the stress of her job was finally catching up to her. 

"I do not remember deciding to pair them off together with you. In fact, we never spoke on the matter. And what happened to 'Legolas'? Suddenly you cannot even refer to me by my name? You've reverted to a title?" Legolas remarked dryly to her. Serein tried to ignore him, but she could not deny that she had heard rejection and pain in his voice as he spoke. Though he had masked it well, it had not been enough to hide his feelings from one who loved him. She really needed to forget that small detail… life would be so much simpler if she could forget she had ever loved him…

"If you please, Prince of Mirkwood, we haven't time to argue with each other over trivial matters. I have decided on my own that we need to give the trainees a chance to try their skills in true fights. As for your title, I have decided it is better for us both this way. The more formalities between us, the less likely we are to become carried away with our personal issues here in front of the trainees. Now, if you do not object, I believe we should begin to watch the trainees?"

"Of course, Lady Serein. Whatever pleases you." Legolas gave a mock bow and turned away quickly. Serein was giving him the cold shoulder. He knew why, but he refused to act as if it did not pain him. His heart nearly burst with hurt when she called him 'Prince'. She had not done that in months. Not since she had begun to think of him as a friend. But now, they were not even that. They were lovers, to be sure, but they were not friends. He had lost that status when she had begun to allow her pride to over run her mind in matters of the heart. But he would allow her to have her sulking period. Then he hoped to be able to speak with her and perhaps even reason with her.

"Legolas?" Lathner nudged him. "Are you in the right health? We've been trying to gain your attention for the last few minutes, yet you seem to have been asleep."

"I'm sorry, I have just been caught up in my thoughts. Did you need something?"

"We were to watch the trainees, help them and correct them." Minder reminded him.

"Of course. Come, let us begin now then." And they strode off. 

Mid-day came and left, with a short hour's break, the trainees were tired and glad that the long day was finally coming to an end. Now they were nearing the last hour of the day's training, and every one of them could see how testy both their Queen and Prince Legolas had become. They were frowning constantly at both the trainees and each other, they never complimented, only criticized, and were very distracted by each other. In short, every single elf in the room knew the two had had a personal fight with each other the night before, and that neither of them was ready to apologize or give in to admit that the other was right. 

"That is not how you jab your blade!" Legolas muttered to an unsuspecting elf who had been trying for the last hour to get the jab right. "You need to lift, jab, push, not jab, push, lift!"

"No!" Serein cried from her side of the room. "When jabbing, you jab, lift, push! Not lift, jab, push!"

"I beg to differ my Lady. It is you who have it wrong." Legolas sneered.

"I? I, who wields the blade constantly, as opposed to you who prefers the bow?" She mocked.

"Yes, as opposed to a selfish and arrogant woman who knows not of which she speaks!" The room grew deathly silent as Legolas' harsh remarks rang throughout the ears of the elves. Who had dared insult their Queen? But none was able to speak before Serein herself answered.

"Very well, Prince of Mirkwood. A duel to settle things?"

"As you Highness so wishes." He mock bowed, darkly smirking towards her.

"Then draw your weapon, boy. We will take care of this now." Each drew their swords and the elves in the room formed a circle around them. Quickly, each struck fiercely at each other in an intense battle of not only physical exertions, but mental and emotional as well. Each lashed out their own frustrations at each other as they duked it out.

"I believe you have forgotten. I am not a boy." Legolas spoke as he lashed out at her.

"Compared to me, you have barely begun to live. You are a boy. No true man would ever…"

"Ever what? Ever give in to a spiteful old hag as I did? Well then, I suppose I am not a true man."

"You are right. You are a monster for saying such things!" He could see the hot tears as they dripped from her eyes and rolled down her flushed cheeks. He almost stopped, but then remembered his purpose. Serein needed to have a jolt of reality hocked back into her system, and if insulting her and fighting her was the only way to do so, then it was his obligation to complete the task, no matter how much it hurt either of them.

For a while Legolas appeared to be winning, but soon Serein stopped her defense and began attacking. Her offense drove Legolas back, and she quickly gained the upper hand. But Legolas was quick himself, and before long they matched each other parry for parry. The heavy swords clanged and the elves remained silent, in awe at the skill and passion with which the two displayed. 

But, as everything in life, the duel had to end eventually. Both were already weary after a long day of being miserable with and at each other; not to mention their work with the other elves. Each of them struck at the same time, and the hilts of their swords locked together. As they tried to pull away, they managed to suspend time for a moment and stare at each other through enraged glares. But their eyes softened for a short second, and each could see the other's anguish. Then, with one final heave from the both of them, their swords, still stuck together, flew from their grasps and they each dropped to their knees, breathing heavily. Staring at each other only seconds longer, they finally stood.

"Today's training session is over." Minder said for them. Serein nodded, but the elves were too awestruck to move. Never had they witnessed such talent, skill, and raw passion. All in the room had seen the tension between the two, and all of them knew now why they had been so enraged at each other. To be in love was one thing, but to be in a forbidden love was quite another. 

But Serein and Legolas, unaware that their secret was out, went on, ignorant of the others. Finally breaking the long stare, each rushed to pick up their respective weapons, then hurried up the stairs from whence they had come earlier that morning. It seemed they needed to think more than fight at the moment. Minder, Lakner, and Lathner watched them go, shaking their heads all the while.

After bathing herself to remove the sweat and grit the day had brought upon her, Serein lay on her bed and pulled her cloak over her. She was cold. Correction, she had the shivers. It must have been because her nightwear was made of such a thin material, almost transparent as a matter of fact. Who was she kidding?

It was all Legolas' fault she had the shivers. Damn that elf! Why did he have to be so insufferablely perfect? Where was the fairness, the justice in it? He had already captured her heart, and now he dared to keep it. It was killing her, this separation. Sitting up, Serein fought to hold back tears. If it was killing her, imagine how much it must be hurting Legolas! But even still. She knew it would only hurt worse… but did that honestly matter? 

Maybe Legolas had been right. Maybe their future was to wake up, blissful in each other's arms every morning as the sun peeked over the horizon line at them. Maybe they were mean to be in love, star-crossed and completely enamored with each other. Maybe. To hell with all of the maybes! She did make her own destiny, did she not? And Legolas made his, did he not? Why must she constantly live up to other's expectations? All her life she had been ruled by her sense of duty, but now… now that same sense of duty was slowly killing her via a broken heart. Sighing anxiously, she finally let her tears fall. Sobbing good and hard was not going to improve the situation, she knew, but at least it helped her feel better.

Legolas too, was not having as easy time. After he had bathed and eaten a small meal, he had sat down to think. He _knew_ she was as mad and frustrated as he. He knew it. But now he was so angered by her attitude earlier in the day that he knew not what to do. He knew he would die of a broken heart if he left her as they were now. But he did not want to leave her! No, he wanted to be by her side, always. He loved her. And he thought that, if they truly cared for each other, they would be able to work things out. But Serein held such pessimistic views on their relationship that he knew nothing would help to change her mind. Yet.

But he would not give up, not just yet. Legolas stood and began pacing about his room. What could he do? What was there left to do? His life was falling apart at the seems, and he felt helpless to stop it. But he had to, he knew. For their sanity. All he knew was that he wished to awaken every morning as they had that morning, entangled within each other's arms, warm and comforted. He wished more than anything for that perfect morning… but he feared it would never come if he did not act soon. But what to do?

"Orcs! Orcs! The orc are here!" A panicked elfin voice rang out down the hall. Serein and Legolas flung their doors open at the same time to hear the news. "My Lady, My Prince, orcs have been spotted on the boarders of the forest, heading this way quickly!" The messenger informed them, out of breath.

"Did someone already alert the women and children to begin their evacuation plans?" Serein asked. Legolas took note she had goose bumps running up and down her arms. She must be cold…

"Yes, the woman and children are currently on their way here as we speak."

"And the elves who have been in the training camp? Are then in position?" Legolas asked, joining Serein at her door. She could smell the soap he had used. He smelled so fresh and clean, yet so intoxicating at the same time…

"Yes, they are getting into position as well. We are almost ready for the orcs."

"Very well then." Serein nodded. "Get to your post."

"Yes my Lady." The elf bowed and ran off. She turned and walked back into her room to change. Legolas followed her and shut the door behind them.

"Serein." She paused to look at Legolas. "Promise me you'll live through this battle." He pleaded with her. 

"Even if I do promise you that, there are no guarantees…"

"Serein. You have made this promise before, and you know you always keep your word. If you promise me you will not die, then you are bound to your word."

"Perhaps I want to die." She replied, in a dazed thought. Legolas' eyes widened and his expression contorted into a horrible thought.

"Serein, you do not mean that!" He grabbed her shoulders and shook them, bringing her back to reality. "Come now Serein, promise me you will live."

"Legolas." She stated softly. Bringing her hand up, she ran it down the side of his face. He reached up and held her hand close to his face, leaning into her soft touch. Serein took a deep breath. "I… I…care… for you." A tear escaped her crystalline eyes, and the golden flecks within them flickered with sorrow. She still couldn't admit to her heart, her own arrogance made her feel sick. Then she closed her eyes, willed the ill feelings to pass, and continued. " But I cannot promise you that I will live." With that she withdrew her hand from his cheek and ran down the hall towards the stairs that led to the main hall. 

Legolas stood still for a moment. She cared for him. But she was not going to promise to live… Valor, she was thinking of doing something rash. But she loved him… he had to smile. Though she had not said it, he knew. He had finally gotten to her, he had stolen her heart and broken her pride, just as she had done to him. He gripped his bow tighter and raced down the hall, following the footsteps of his lover to the hall that would soon hold death. He would protect her at all costs.

When Legolas reached the main hall, he found Serein was giving orders. She had set it up so Lakner, Lathner, and Minder were all posted as guards inside the dungeon cells with the women and children. That way, if any orcs got through the defenses, the women and children would have some one to fight for them. Originally the three had refused, but Serein had pointed out that if she or Legolas was to perish in battle, someone who had a good level head and strong sense of pride in their home would need to stay alive to carry on. Someone she trusted, someone who had good judgment. She had chosen all three of her friends because she knew they would be capable of the task, should she fall to an arrow or sword. They eventually gave in, and now they were stationed below on the dungeons, watching out for the women and children.

"Serein! Where do I go?"

"Get over against the wall and prepare to draw your bow!" She called. They were ready. Soon they could hear the squealing and grunting of the orcs as the fowl creatures made their way towards them.

"Draw your bows and ready for battle!" Legolas called. The elves drew their bows and positioned them in the slits between the boards they had put up.

"Ready!" Serein called out.

"Aim!" Legolas answered in response. 

"Fire at will!" She yelled out again. The first volley of arrows was sent directly into the orc forces. *

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	17. Live Forever

Chapter Seventeen: Live Forever

*As the arrows sailed through the air, nearly all of them found their targets. Orcs dropped, but other came running over them. Soon the entire building was surrounded and under siege. Orcs dove into the windows, trying their best to break through the wooden and metal barriers that had been built up. The archers continued to string their bows, and more orcs fell as they were shot down. Serein and Legolas too, were shooting at orcs through the window slits. 

Then the giant obsidian and ivory doors that had once been polished to emit a magnificent shine were pounded upon. The orcs had reached their inner sanctuary. This was the last stand before death. Slowly the doors began to be forced open. Elves gathered to press up against it, but they were unproductive. As they lined up against the door, they did not realize that they left no one to continue shooting orcs through the windows. 

Suddenly, with a large crash, an orc came stampeding his way through one of the windows. Though the orc met an untimely end due to one of Legolas' arrows, more followed. Too many. They couldn't be stopped as they all poured in. The elves that had been guarding the doors left to grab their swords to fight and soon the doors were flung open.

Through the doors came an unholy number of orcs. They came in swarms, trying to pick off the unsuspecting elves. Fortunately, Serein and Legolas had taught the elves better than that. Soon the elves had banded together to form small, tight groups. They fought in an almost circular motion, allowing the orcs to come to them. They watched out for each other's backs and were careful enough to avoid any foolish mistakes. Few of the elves chose to fight outside of the group formation, and those that did were only the most skilled of skilled. 

"Legolas! Behind you!" Someone shouted. He ducked just in time as an orc ripped an ax through where his head had been. Ducking low, he spun his sword backwards and jabbed. It hit the orc and went through it's engorged belly. Pulling his sword out, he turned to thank his savior, but found none. Unusual. Still, he kept on fighting.

An orc ran at him and he quickly whipped out one of his long knives. Running the orc through, he dropped the knife and kept fighting. Two orcs at once. He was able to hold them off with his sword, but when a third entered the scene and tried to crush him with a bone-crunching grip, Legolas stopped playing nice. Using the third orc as a block of sorts, he forced the other orcs to kill it. Then he threw the dead orc at the other two, knocking them out. While they were out of touch with reality, he took the opportunity to quickly and efficiently stab them through their blackened hearts.

This wasn't such hard work. Who was he kidding? He was working up a good sweat with the orcs. Still he was proud that the other elves had survived this long and killed so many. He and Serein must have been better teachers than he had thought. Speaking of which, where had Serein gone?

Serein had posted herself in front of the hidden doors to the dungeons. Though they had worked hard to conceal the doors, there was always a possibility that an orc would be smart enough to spot the signs. So far she had only fought orcs that had been interested in attacking her, not in getting to the doors. Still, she never knew. 

As she battled the dirty orcs, she found herself watching the elves she and Legolas had taught. All of them were skilled enough after only two days worth of practice that they were doing fairly well. She could only count three dead elves, and many dead orcs. That had to be a good sign, what with so many more orcs than elves.

An orc approached her and swung his mighty broad sword. So she swung hers. Then she made a quick and high slice in the orc's direction. The creature fell, his throat slit. Another followed him. Serein swept her sword around in a half crescent, then buried it deep within the orc's left shoulder. The orc fell.

More ran at her. Kicking one into another, she punched one down and took the second to slit their throats. An orc snuck up behind her and grabbed her neck. Though she struggled for a few seconds, she soon gave up and allowed her body to go limp. When the orc let go of her thinking she was dead, she turned around and ran it through on her sword.

The orcs were dumb. Numerous, but ever so dumb. But their numbers could prove to be the elves' undoing if they didn't compensate for the drastic numbers difference somehow. As she faced yet another orc, she did not hesitate to decapitate it with a ruthless bitterness. Slowly she went though the motions of lifting her sword and cutting through the thick grimy flesh of the creature. Black blood oozed from every broken blood vessel and vein. A fowl odor permeated the air, not that it already smelled much better. Now it smelled of death and vile evilness.

"Jercar, take a group of orcs up into the rafters and begin shooting with your bows and arrows!" She yelled to an elf she remembered seeing as an excellent archer with a keen eye.

"Yes my Lady!" The man nodded slightly. Picking a few elves from his circle, he dragged them away so they could find a place suitable to aim from. 

"Serein! How are we to fight this many off?" One of the elves shouted.

"Just keep fighting!" She answered back. She herself did not know. The orcs had begun with over two hundred. Now there were still many, but they were slowing down and coming in gradually. She needed a way to occupy the orcs for a short time, gather them all in one place so the archers would have a better chance of fighting them.

"Legolas!" She yelled out, searching for him through the messy battlefield. She couldn't see him at all. It was almost as if the orcs had swallowed him up into their blackness.

"Serein?" A voice came from behind her. She jumped and readied her sword. "Serein, it is only me. You did call for me, did you not?" Legolas asked concerned.

"I did, but I did not see you come up from behind me. Legolas, we need a way to bunch the orcs together in one place. That way the archers can shoot them down easier and us foot soldiers can pick them off from the outside edges. Have any ideas?"

"Draw their attention to the center of the room somehow."

"How though?"

"When Boromir did it, he used the Gondor battle horn's sound to call them to him. And it worked fairly well. Though these orcs might not fall for it, they certainly looked foolish enough to."

"Do you have the horn then?" She asked. Her question was foolish, however, for she had seen the horn on his belt loop the moment he had mentioned it.

"Yes. But I cannot let you blow the horn. You would be slaughtered instantly!" He objected violently. 

"That is why I did not promise to live through this battle!" She cried, stealing the horn from his belt. Running into the crowded room, she fought to get herself through the swords, arrows, and other obstructions that blocked her path. Soon she stood in the dead center of the room. 

"Serein! Don't do this!" Legolas pleaded with her over the roar of the crowd.

"I have to! For my kingdom and my people! Legolas, inform the archers to ready themselves for a large target. Make sure they are equipped with enough arrows!"

"Serein…"

"Do it!" She commanded. Hearing no reply, she assumed he was doing as she had requested. 

"Legolas, ready yourself, I'm about the call them!" She gave them one finally warning. Then placing her rouge stained red lips gently over the mouth of the horn, she blew. Blowing long and hard, she called the entire orc population in her direction in the center of the room. The orcs advanced quickly, giving her no time to regret her actions or feel fear. Wielding her sword, she hoped it would be enough to keep the orcs at bay.

She knew orcs all around her were being shot down before they could touch her. Legolas was once again acting as her guardian angel, saving her from afar. But in truth, he had saved her from where she was in general. If she could ever think of a way to repay him… one that was worthy of his truth, compassion, and bravery…

Legolas hated the fact that Serein could take charge as much as she had. In reality, he loved the characteristic in her. It was a good quality for rulers to possess, along with a sense of humor. However, Serein took it a step too far. She put her life in danger to save others to often, he noticed. Well, this was one time he was going to make sure it didn't affect her. 

He perched atop a rafter in the roof right above her. Then as she blew the horn, he shot arrows at the orcs that were closest to her. He watched as she herself cut a few down, but he knew she would not be able to watch her back while she was in the center. That was his job. 

Orcs were being cut down easily now. The arrows were making a huge dent in their numbers, plus the swordsmen on the ground were helping just as much. Fifty orcs were all that Serein could count left. Only fifty, of two hundred! And some of the orcs were beginning to back off. In fact, one was running out the doors like no tomorrow and not looking back. They were succeeding, they were beating the orcs! After a few more minutes of heavy cover fire, the orcs stopped their fighting all together.

Slowly, as if time stood still they seemed to each be thinking the same thought, if orcs thought at all. Then within mere seconds of their stopping, they began again. Only this time they did not push forward. Instead, they turned tail and began running as hard as they could out of the main hall. They exited through the door and windows, jumping when necessary to get out as fast as they possibly could.

As they left, the elves watched in silence. Their victory was surreal. It had not yet dawned upon them that they had won, defended their homes, and one against the odds. Slowly, they dropped their weapons and made their way to the windows to watch the mass exodus of the forty some orcs that were left after the battle. 

They stayed, frozen and awed until the last orc had disappeared beyond the horizon and out of view. Slowly, very slowly, they moved back to gather their weapons. No one spoke, they hardly dared breath for fear that it was not real. Finally, one voice broke the silence.

"You have fought your battle. You have fought valiantly, and wisely, for you are still standing. In short, my elfin friends, you have won." Serein stood atop the steps to the throne, surveying her subject's faces as the truth dawned upon them. A huge cry of elation filled the small crowd of elves as they cheered. Serein gave a sad smile at them all before speaking again. "Will some one please inform the women and children to come up?"

"Now? With all of the orc bodies lying here?" Someone asked.

"Yes. They have a right to see what is so vile that we have been trying to rid Middle-Earth of them. And they have the right to be witnesses to the first of many words I wish to speak to you. Quickly fetch them." It took a good twenty minutes for all of the women and their children to find their husbands, sons, brothers, and fathers as they came up from the dank dungeons.

"No problems in the dungeon?" Legolas asked Lakner as he came up.

"No. We could hear all of the noise though. How many did we lose?"

"We began with thirty elves. Today we have lost three."

"Three. The number would have been much higher had we not been prepared as we were. And the woman and children could have been injured as well."

"Or worse. Orcs have needs as well. Flesh might be cannibalistic to our race, but to theirs it is a way of life."

"By eating the flesh of their victims? If those were the only spoils of the war, I would not wish to begin the war in the first place."

"If those were the only spoils of war, no one would wish to begin the war." They smiled, but heard Serein clearing her throat. Clearly she was going to make a speech.

"Did you patch things up between you two?" Lakner whispered.

"I am not sure. We were speaking during the battle, and even before it, but it was mostly on battle tactics, not love."

"You will never have her then?"

"No, I will. She loves me, as I her. But her pride…"

"Is still the problem." Lakner finished with a grim nod. He had assumed as much. They stopped speaking listen to her speak.

"Today was a horrible day." She began with a grim smile. "We rose with the dawn as usual, and, as many in the training camp may have told you, I was not in the best of moods. Prince Legolas and I worked the trainees harder than the day before, and considering their limited practice, they did quite well." She paused, then smiled brightly. "Of course we did not mention that to them while they were working. It would not do to have spoiled their ego's before the war." The crowd laughed. Then her grim smile reappeared and she went on. 

"So today began as a horrible day. Yet it has ended on the highest note I could ever have hoped for. As you know, we heard that the orcs were coming shortly after five, and were ready for them by five thirty. I must say, you are punctual elves." More laughter. 

"So we battled. The brave men and women that risked their lives in battle today thought little of the consequence. They fought for what they believed in, hat they know, and what they love. They fought to protect their homes, families, friends and their very culture." Serein had to pause. It was getting hard to breathe. 

"I cannot relay to you how proud I am to say that this is my kingdom. This is Haze. The city of elves that is now only a legend to all others, has made a stand here and now. They have spoken that they will not go quietly into the mist. We will not fade and die with the passing of time. We will thrive on pressure to survive, and survive we will!" Cheering arose. She smiled brightly, but held up her hands to signal silence.

"Today we did lose three of our own. Three wonderful elves who gave their very lives, who gave their immortality, to save us all. Their souls have been released from bondage, and we must remember them always. But we must go on. We cannot dwell on the sad forever. To honor them, we must continue what they died believing in. We must rebuild our world, our city. We must improve the quality of life, bring back arts, bring back what we lost during the first of the War of the Rings. 

"That time of darkness has finally ended. The humans have been united under one king, Aragorn of Gondor. The dwarves and elves have begun to out aside their differences and reform a friendship between our races. We can no longer ignore the outside world as we have. We must welcome visitors, teach them of ourselves, help them and in the process grow and change, adapting to the times which we have been placed in. We live in a wonderful era. Do not deny yourselves experiences that can enrich your lifestyle." 

"We must clean up this mess, but more importantly, once it is cleaned, we will have a day of rejoicing. To celebrate our lives, those of the three lost, and our victory!" She concluded with a proud smile upon her face. Looking out appreciatively into the crowd, she smiled. They deserved the happiness they had.

Minder stood forward. Raising his voice as loud as he could, he began to quiet the crowd. When all had settled down, he began to speak.

"I think we can all agree that our Queen Serein has brought back life to our dull and broken world." The din was huge. Everyone clapped and cheered in agreement. Minder calmed them once more. "And I believe, that to thank her for her hard work, in not only helping us to ready for the orc attack, but in her work to retrieve the Gemstone of Haze and helping to destroy the one ring." More cheering. "I believe that to thank her, we should help her to clean and rebuild her home. This palace has long since been an eye sore to us all. Once it was a grand place where balls and galas were held constantly. It glowed in the haze, lighting our way. Now it is a battle scene for the hellish. I propose we rebuild it to its once splendor."

"Agreed!"

"I second the motion!" Shouts came from the crowd. It was unanimous. Minder turned to see his queen held un-fallen tears in her eyes. 

"I would be honored if you would rebuild my home." She bowed her head in hopes that no one would see her watery eyes. She did not want them to think her queen weak and overly emotional. She spoke again. "But for now I would be happy just to get rid of the orc bodies." She laughed, as did the rest of the crowd.

People began to break from the meeting. The children ran outside to play while the women and men began dragging orc bodies out of the hall. It had been decided that they would pile the orcs outside away from the river and then burn their bodies. It was a hard, laboring task to drag their heavy bodies out, but one that was very satisfying. When a few of the elves learned Serein was helping, they began to object. She blew them off. 

"I fought in the battle and helped to make the mess. It is only fair I help to clean it up as well." She reasoned out for them. Legolas, too, helped drag the orcs out. 

Serein had been avoiding him as long as she could. But soon she was so tired from her physical exertions in first the training camp, then the battle, and now cleaning that she had to rest. Minder had forced her to sit on the throne, but when he had left, she sat down on the steps instead. She did not feel comfortable simply sitting on the throne. It was not her place. Yet. She would need to work her way up to it. But while she sat and rested, Legolas caught up with her.

"Serein." Her heart melted as his deep voice rolled her name out of his lips. Could she swallow her sick sense of pride long enough to tell him…?*

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	18. The Eternity of Haze

Epilogue: The Eternity of Haze 

*"Legolas." She gulped.

"I see you've made it through the fight." His face was grim. She didn't like this. Not one bit. Was he angry with her?

"Yes. I-" 

"I'm glad. Well, I suppose it's ended. We have defeated the orcs." He cut her off. Now she knew he was up to something.

"Yes, I suppose we have. Legolas, I…"

"Please, don't speak." He held up his hand. "You gave a wonderful speech. Serein. And the elves have begun to come back to life. They were so dead when we first came. You have changed them. And you have changed me. I know you will never admit to me how you truly feel. I know that now. You are so wrapped up with your kingdom, your people, that you will never be able to fully give yourself to anyone, not even me. While I watched your speech I realized it." He hung his head. Legolas felt like a failure. She had asked him to stay, and he had promised to, no matter what. But here he was, running away. But he knew, at the same time, his actions were justified. He had to go through with it. "So, I will do as you asked of me before the fight began. I will leave you, leave Haze. That is the only thing left."

"Legolas!" She stood, suddenly afraid. What was he saying? Did he mean it? No, he wouldn't… he couldn't! Not now!

"No, Serein. I love you." He raised a hand to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed away a tear as it slipped from the corner of her eye. "I only came to tell you that. I ride now, away from here, for I fear that I could not stay and allow myself to be tempted by you any longer without giving in. But it would ultimately destroy us. So I give you my leave, Queen Serein. Mat Valor smile upon you." He backed away. Giving a deep bow to her, he then turned and began walking away, head held high. 

All work in the main hall had stopped as all of the elves watched the scene playing out before their eyes. When Legolas reached the main doors, he turned around to look at the woman he loved one last time. "Good bye Serein. I love you." One more bow, and he was gone. 

Serein gave something of a strangled cry. She collapsed onto the stairs of the alter and clutched at her heart for a moment. Bowing her head, she rocked sided to side. Finally, taking a deep breath, she rose to her full height and raised her head. Proudly, she stood and walked down from the throne alter towards the hall that held her bedchambers. She would cry there. Never in front of her people. Her own pride made her sick.

)(

"Then you truly mean to leave her?" Lakner asked in shock as he stood near Legolas.

"There is nothing more I can do. I will honor her wishes and leave. As much as I love her, she believes in her heart that it will never work. And unless she truly believed that it would work, then she is right, it would fail."

"But to leave her? She'll be heart broken." 

"Maybe. But she will live."

"You will be heart broken."

"I will. And I will never love again. Not as I love her. Not as deeply, and never will anyone, ever, replace her."

"My boy, you are wrong." Minder came up behind them. "She will not get over it. Serein loves far too deeply to forget. She will pretend nothing ever happened. She will act. She will become quiet and withdrawn. She will not eat, not sleep. She will wane away without you. And you leave her anyway."

"Serein loves deeply, this is true. But how deep can her love for me possibly be if she will not speak of it?"

"How deep can your love been for her if you leave her because of that reason?"

"Deep. Deep because I have the best intentions on leaving- the intention of helping her. At least if I leave, she will have been taught a lesson in humility. And she will be able to love more freely in the future because of it."

"You are wrong, so very wrong." Minder shook his head sadly. Legolas mounted his horse and gave one last nod to both Minder and Lakner. 

"I wish I was. Tell Lathner I said good-bye as well." He spoke low. With that, he urged his horse to go. 

Serein watched from her window as Legolas, the elf she loved, rode away from her, never to be seen again.

)(

"Queen Serein? Shall we have the two who were arguing come here for a decision by you then?"

"Yes. I will decide if you wish me to." The elf looked sharply at his Queen. She was not the same elfin woman she had been when she had first returned three weeks ago. Only three weeks, and yet such a drastic change. All had seen it, but few spoke of it. It was frightening.

Their small kingdom had begun to thrive again. Business was good. Food was plentiful once more. People had been on better behavior, the army had begun to rebuild itself in both strength and skill. It even seemed that at times the haze had returned to Haze. The palace of Haze had been under construction for two weeks, and the restoration was nearly complete. And no trace of Nero could be found. He had apparently gone into exile after trying to loot the royal treasuries and being thrown out in front of a large crowd. Everyone rejoiced at the thought.

But their Queen herself had begun to deteriorate after the orc battle. She was rarely seen eating, even at the grand feasts she held. Her weight was becoming a concern for the palace chefs. Smiles now were rare, and the sense of humor she had displayed was non-existent. Aside from her loss in humor, she had also lost her energy. Most days she sat on the steps to the throne, not moving much. She refused to sit in the throne chairs, saying they had been tainted with a vile evil she wanted no part of, a vile evil called pride. 

Her appearance was not much better. Her thinning figure seemed to be swallowed in the heavy blue cloak she always wore, even when it was incredibly warm outside. Her eyes were sunken, and never seemed to sparkle as they had before. Heavy bags under them told the story that she was not sleeping, and her skin was ashen with a sallow tinge that made people believe she was possibly very sick. Some even claimed they had heard her throwing up or crying. But no one could say whether the rumors were true or simply false.

As Serein sat, unaware her health was the worry of each of her subjects, she let the events of the past few months play over and over in her mind. She constantly thought of the Fellowship. Her friends, the short ones. Gimli, master dwarf. Gandalf, the chauvinistic wizard whom she had finally come to gain the respect of. Aragorn, the new King of Gondor. He would make a fine ruler indeed. He had a level head, good heart, and knew his people well. She thought of her Uncle Elrond, and how he seemed almost the same, but slightly different, somehow aged though he was immortal. 

The one thing she thought the most over, however, was Legolas. She had been such a blind fool! Why hadn't she seen it? Why had she treated him so wrongly? So horribly? She should have told him, confessed. He would have found a way to keep them together. She should have made him stay, kept him here, with her. She should have apologized, should have done something! But she hadn't. Valor, she hadn't. And now she was so lost… without him she could not rule. She could barely even drag herself out of bed each morning. It took all the strength she had to simply speak a sentence. Then she was drained. He had been her strength, her source of energy and power. Without him, she was nothing, had nothing, could do nothing. 

"Serein." She looked up tiredly. 

"Hello Minder. Can I help you?"

"Will you eat? That would help me a great deal."

"I am not hungry, I am sorry." She told him, hanging her head once more.

"Serein! Stop this foolish behavior! I knew something like this would happen. I told him."

"Told who what?" She asked tiredly. It was hard for her to think straight enough to follow along with what he was saying. Minder's head shot up. 

"I told Legolas this would happen when he left." He watched Serein's head shoot up.

"What did you tell him would happen?"

"I told him you would begin to waste away to nothing without him. And he said that it was for the better, because you believed it would never work, and without the belief that it would work, it truly would fail, and then you would be hurt more than you are now."

"He said that?" Her head dropped once more. She had been so thoughtless. She would give anything to see him just once more, but it would never happen. He would never return. She had driven him away. She had driven away the one she loved. Her self-loathing skyrocketed.

"Serein. He loves you." Minder said.

"I know. And I loved him. I can admit to it now, when he is not here, when I have had to love with my mistake. But when I see him I will be a hypocrite once more and say the opposite. Such a fool I am!"

"Serein, I said he loves you, not he loved you. He still cares, just as you do."

"He still cares?" She asked surprised and somewhat skeptical.

"Yes, still. If you will pardon me, my Queen, I must take my leave of you."

"Of course. Thank you, my dear old friend."

"Anything for you, my Queen." He smiled. 

"Minder." She spoke once again as he walked away. "Watch over them while I'm gone?"

"As you wish."

"Thank you." She nodded, and he walked on. She stood from her place, and began walking to her room. When she reached it, she sat on her bed for a moment, then stood. She had work to be done.

)(

"Elrond, good friend, I do believe we have over stayed our welcome." 

"Thranduil, you can never outstay your welcome, for it is so rare that you visit." The two elfin men smiled good-naturedly at each other. "And of course, I can never thank you enough for your help in the second War of the Ring." Elrond added.

"My help? It was the elfin race as a whole that helped." Thranduil corrected.

"Well then, at least let me give credit to you, Legolas, for being part of the Fellowship, protecting our ring barer, and going so far to help as you did."

"The honor was mine, I assure you, Lord Elrond." Legolas bowed his head out of respect. 

"Will either of you accepted any compliments?" Elrond laughed. "Then thank you for helping my niece, wherever she may be, in saving her kingdom and protecting her as you did."

"You are welcome." Legolas replied rather stiffly. Thranduil and Elrond looked hard at him. Though Legolas had spoken of Haze and the battle with the orcs, he had left out great details of everything that had happened in-between. To both elves it was obvious something monumental had occurred between Legolas and Serein, but he would not speak on the subject. And whenever her name was mentioned, he became cold and distant.

Legolas himself had gone through a period that seemed as if he were in mourning. Every day for the first three days or so he had gotten up and moped around. He had not eaten much, and he often wandered around in a dazed state, alone and quiet. But he had grown out of it with the last couple of weeks. 

Thranduil hadn't wished to stay so long in Rivendell, but with Legolas' actions, he had not wanted to push his son before he was ready. So they had over stayed the time they had originally supposed to. But Legolas had no knowledge of this. 

"Lord Elrond!" An elf ran up to them. "You have a visitor." A cloaked figure stepped into the courtyard they were standing in. Dropping their hood, the other simply stood and stared.

"Hello Uncle Elrond. I hope I have not come at an inconvenient time."

"Serein!" He breathed. "No, not at all. Welcome. I believe you remember Lord Thranduil of Mirkwood?"

"Of course, I'm sorry. Hello Lord Thranduil." She paused. "Legolas." They stood in silence. It was obvious to both Elrond and Thranduil that Serein was there for only one reason: to see Legolas.

"Serein." Legolas nodded. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be in Haze right now, far away from him. She was supposed to have left his thoughts, he was supposed to forget her.

"Legolas, I, I…" She trailed off. She had come all this way, but she knew not what to say now that she was faced with her task.

"Shouldn't you be in Haze?" He finally asked.

"Minder is… watching things for me." She answered as if she were in a daze.

"Oh." He drank in the sight of her. She was so beautiful. But had she lost weight? And she was so pale, and her eyes… "Serein, are you feeling well?" He asked concerned.

"Fine." He could see her visibly pale, if it was possible. She was so deathly pale he was ready to believe she was a corpse. 

"Serein. You're sick."

"No." She denied. 

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I cannot remember."

"When did you last sleep?"

"All of my dreams have been nightmares. I cannot sleep."

"Serein…" By now they stood inches from each other. He gently reached out and traced her jaw line with his thumb. "Nightmares?"

"Hmm." She bit her lip. The taste of the coppery tinge of blood finally alerted her to pain and the fact that she was biting too hard.

"Why are you here?" He finally asked.

"I could not go on any longer there. Legolas, why did you leave me? I…I… Valor. I cannot do anything without you. You were my reason for getting up in the morning, my reason for trying so hard."

"Your reason for trying? Serein, tell me you at least tried to eat!" When she bowed her head in shame, his eyes widened. "You stopped eating without me there?" He asked, half shocked and very concerned. He had left three weeks ago. That meant she hadn't eaten in three weeks. Minder had been right…

"I had no reason to eat without you there. I simply haven't been hungry. But Legolas, I…"

"Serein! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? You could have starved yourself to death! Serein!" He suddenly pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She buried her head in his chest and began to cry.

"I'm sorry. I am. But I just couldn't… without you, I, I just couldn't. I tried so hard. But I need you. I need you to be with me. I'm so sorry, so sorry." She rambled on.

"It's alright. Everything will be alright." He hugged her.

"I love you." She whispered. He pushed her back and looked her in the eye.

"Do you?" His eyes shone with so much hope.

"I do. I love you, so much." He pulled her into a hug again, rocking her and cradling her in his warm arms.

"I love you too Serein. Everything will be alright now. I promise. Trust me, everything will be alright."

"I trust you." They stood like that for some time, just holding onto each other. Then he lifted her chin and claimed her lips with his own. As he gently pressed against her lips, she responded instantly. Their blood boiled as the passion they had kept pent up for so long was finally released. She pulled away, gently pecking his lips. Then she kissed his cheek, and trailed tiny butterfly kisses down his jaw line. With one final kiss on his neck, he moaned and sought her lips again. 

An ecstasy neither of them had ever felt before invaded their senses and clouded their minds. All they cared for, all they knew, all they were aware of was each other and their emotions. Breaking their kiss, they rested their foreheads against each other's and breathed deeply. Then he embraced her again and held her tightly in his strong arms. He would never lose her, never let her go. He loved her, and she him. 

"Thranduil. As children we grew up like brothers. But now it looks like we may become family by blood as well." Elrond clapped Thranduil's shoulder as they watched their niece and son together.

)(

"So then you've decided to go back to Haze for good Legolas?" Elrond asked.

"Yes. Serein cannot leave her people, and my father has no intention of giving up his title for a quite a while. But we are going to deal with that when it happens."

"And will there be a wedding?" Thranduil smirked at the couple.

"It won't be for another year." Serein smiled. "We've decided there's no rush."

"But eventually we want a family. I wouldn't mind getting started right now, but as you can see, we aren't really in the position to…"

"Legolas!" Serein smacked his arm and blushed bright pink. They were sitting on her horse, Serein behind Legolas. Beside them on the ground were Elrond and Thranduil.

"I am not apologizing, because I am not sorry." He smirked.

"You will be when I get off this horse and have a sword in my hand."

"Touchy, isn't she?" He couldn't resist the jab.

"You're a horrible elf! I hate you!" She pouted.

"No you don't. You told me just the opposite this morning." He began to laugh, and soon she joined in. Hugging him from behind, she lay her head on his back.

"You're right. I do love you."

"And I hope to hear that very often dear."

"You two are going to be a wonderful married couple." Thranduil laughed. 

"And we shall live for eternity, madly in love with each other and blissfully content, just as it was ordained in the stars the very day we were born." They smiled at each other. All the world had been set right, all it had taken was a small walk in to the fire for love.*

~~~I'm DONE! I'm done! Yeah! So??? How was it? Huh? Yes, the ending line was cheesy, but hey, I felt like being a sentimental freak! REVIEW!!!!!! (That way I'll know whether you want me to write another fic or not)~~~ -Vixen


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